What Becomes of An Enemy?
by Miriam1
Summary: Vlad visits Middle-earth. This story is a sequel to "A Ghost in Middle-earth" and that should be read first. It takes place 6 months earlier in Danny Phantom universe and about 4000 years later in Middle-earth universe.
1. The Halfa is Found

What Becomes of an Enemy?

by Cynthia and Miriam1

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or Vlad Plasmius; they belong to Nickelodeon and Butch Hartman. I also do not own _Lord of the Rings_ or the characters thereof; they belong to the Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinemas.

A/N: This story is a sequel to "A Ghost in Middle-earth" and that should be read first, as there are references to the first story here. In addition, it takes place 6 months earlier in Danny Phantom universe and about 4000 years later in Middle-earth universe. It is now 1975 TA, and the Kingdom of Arthedain has just fallen to the forces of the Realm of Angmar. For those who have not read the Appendices of The Lord of the Rings, it takes place 1043 years prior to Frodo's departure from the Shire.

Chapter 1: The Halfa Is Found

Vlad Plasmius flew through the Ghost Zone, carrying the Infi-Map. He had, once again, managed to steal it from the Far Frozen. Frostbite would, of course, send for help in retrieving it. Not many ghosts were capable of stopping him, and even fewer would actually return it once they had defeated him.

"Hold it right there, Plasmius," a voice called out. Snicker Doodles! Frostbite would summon Daniel's assistance. True, he could easily defeat the younger halfa, but Daniel always managed to get the Infi-Map back from him every time.

This was so tiresome. "Daniel, it's so good to see you again. How is your father doing? Tired of his bumbling idiocy yet?"

"Not a chance, Vlad!" Danny yelled back. "Now hand over the Infi-Map!" Dear Daniel! Of course, he doesn't really believe Vlad will turn it over without a fight. It's all part of his heroic image to give his arch-nemesis a chance to give up right off the bat.

Vlad grinned, revealing pointed teeth. "Do you _really _think you can beat me? I'm far more powerful than you. I could squash you like a bug."

Danny smirked. "I've beaten you before. Remember the hunting lodge?"

Vlad winced. He'd underestimated the boy that time. "_You_ didn't beat me. You turned my ghost animals against me. Besides, you don't have the Plasmius Maximus this time." Angry at the reminder of that less-than-pleasant experience, Vlad fired a pink ectoblast at the other halfa.

Danny dodged and fired his own green ectoblast back at Vlad. The older halfa raised an ectoshield and fired another blast. Danny was hit, throwing him backwards a few feet. The teen fired a cryoblast, freezing Vlad. The billionaire quickly broke free of the ice and blasted Danny again. Danny barely managed to duck in time and fired another ectoblast, stunning Vlad long enough for the boy to get the Infi-Map from him.

Before Vlad could respond to this, Danny fired again. The man was thrown back into a temporary portal that had just opened behind him. It closed right after he entered it, screaming in frustration. He crashed into solid ground a second later, banging his head on a tree trunk. As Vlad lost consciousness, two black rings appeared around his middle. One ring traveled up and one traveled down, transforming his white suit into a black double-breasted suit, removing his cape, and turning his black hair silver-white. The once pointed hairdo was now below the shoulder, and tied back in a ponytail.

* * *

Elladan knelt on the ground, studying the footprints in the path. They were definitely made by a troll, and had been made not more than 12 hours ago. He stood and looked at his twin, mounted on his horse just behind him. "The troll definitely followed this path. It was here no more than twelve hours ago." He mounted his own horse and signaled to the four elves of their patrol, who patiently waited behind them.

As they rode, Elrohir turned to him. "This troll left quite a trail. We should have no trouble finding its lair. Even with it crisscrossing the area as much as it did, tracking it took less time than we feared."

"Yes, it did." Elladan answered. "This troll must be stupider than the average. I have rarely encountered so easy a trail, except with orcs."

His brother grinned at that. "Orcs are the easiest creatures to track. Even someone completely unskilled in tracking could follow an orc trail." The rest of the patrol laughed quietly at the comment. Suddenly, Elrohir stopped. "I see something up ahead. I cannot make it out through the trees."

Elladan stopped as well. "Yes, Elrohir, I see it, too. Let us check it out." He urged his horse forward and Elrohir followed him, the rest of the patrol right behind.

They soon arrived in a small clearing. To one side, a man lay unconscious at the foot of a tree. A groove in the ground showed how he had slid into the tree. Elladan nodded to the patrol, and they quickly spread out to search the area. Dismounting, Elladan and Elrohir knelt beside the man and examined him.

His clothing was strange, but it was obviously well-made. His white hair was neatly brushed and his beard trimmed. The man didn't look like he'd been in a fight. He was entirely uninjured. Elrohir turned the man's head to the side and found a lump from the impact with the tree.

The twins looked up at the soft sound of footsteps. The patrol had finished its search of the clearing. "My lords, there are no indications that anything has been here since the troll passed through last night," one elf informed them.

A second nodded in agreement. "In fact, this man left no marks anywhere in this clearing or the surrounding area. The only way he could have gotten here is if he were carried."

Elladan nodded thoughtfully. "I doubt he was carried. His clothes look as though he just put them on. Besides, the troll would not have left him here. This is quite a mystery."

Elrohir looked at his brother. "I think we should take him back to Rivendell. We cannot bring him along on the troll hunt. He does not look like he would be of much use in a fight."

"I agree. But we should still try to locate its lair." Elladan looked up at the other four elves. "Follow the trail as far as you can, but be back here before dark. If you find the lair, come back and report immediately." All four nodded, mounted their horses, and rode out, leaving the twins alone with the unconscious human.

* * *

Glossary

halfa- a term used by ghosts to describe half-ghosts. "Half a human, half a ghost."- Sydney Poindexter, "Splitting Images", season 1 of Danny Phantom, episode 5.

Infi-Map- a map of the Ghost Zone that shows the homes of every ghost and every portal that exists or will exist, including when it will form. All one must do is tell it where you want to go, and it will take you there instantly.


	2. Where Am I?

A/N: A new chapter for you to enjoy! Now, I'm going to answer all my reviews here, at the beginning of each new chapter. To save space, I will only respond to reviews with questions or particularly good comments and ideas. I appreciate all reviews. Thank you for reading. And now, on with the reviews!

**Hordak's Pupil**: Yes, Vlad would be interested in the Item if he learned of It. The obstacle to that is that the only ones in a position to tell him have no reason to do so, and every reason not to. Interesting thought, though.

**Inukagome15** and **mystery writer5775**: My collaborator, Miriam1, and I reconsidered our rating and reduced it back to T. Thank you for your advice in the matter of ratings.

**Thunderstorm101**: Vlad's purpose in Middle-earth will be made clear later. And yes... the Elves can take care of themselves.

**MaxRideNut**: Yes, Miriam1 responded already, but I think other readers with similar questions would benefit from the answer. This is before Phantom Planet. We messed with time, because that's how natural portals work. This is six months earlier for Vlad than Danny's adventure, in Amity Park time. For the Elves it is several thousand years later. Time doesn't work differently; the portals do.

**GhostKing666**: Thank you for the info. We don't know if Vlad has a ghost sense, but we're working on the premise that he might. But it operates with heat, not ice. Vlad won't tell the elves all of his abilities, but he will share a few of them.

Thank you for all the reviews, and I hope you will continue reading!

Chapter 2: Where Am I?

Disclaimer: I do not own either Vlad Masters or _The Lord of the Rings_. They belong to Butch Hartman and the Tolkien Estate respectively.

When Vlad woke up, it was late afternoon. He lay on the ground in a small clearing in a forest. How had he landed in a forest? He tried to recall, but all he knew was that Daniel had managed to blast him into one of the temporary portals littering the Ghost Zone. As he racked his brain for the answer, he discovered a headache. Had he hit his head?

Vlad turned his head to the right and saw two young men beside him. Was it two? They were completely identical, down to their expressions of concern. "Am I seeing double?" The young men glanced at each other in confusion, easing Vlad's concern about a concussion. Unfortunately, he now had a new concern: the two youths had pointed ears. Their long dark hair was braided to keep it out of their faces, accenting the shape of the ears.

The billionaire tried to sit up and demanded, "Who are you? What do you want with me?" Quickly, one of the youths lay a hand on his chest to hold him down. Vlad tried to resist, but the youth was stronger than he appeared. He spoke soothingly in a strange language, his double looking worried. Vlad decided not to press the issue, since his attempt to sit had aggravated his headache.

* * *

The man sank back and Elladan sighed in relief. For a man his age, he was unusually strong. The elf glanced at his twin, who sat in thought. "What do you think, Elrohir?" He switched over to Sindarin, though the man had not appeared to know Westron.

His twin looked up, startled from his train of thought. "I think he needs to be brought to Father as soon as possible. I do not recognize his language, but Father may be able to find a way to communicate with him."

Elladan glanced at the man, who seemed to be listening carefully to what they said, then looked back at his brother. "I agree. We will leave at first light. Hopefully, the others will have something to report on that troll."

It was then that the two elves heard hoofbeats approach. A soft whistle alerted them that it was the patrol, who soon entered the clearing. The four warriors dismounted and one walked over, while the others removed the tack from the horses. The warrior knelt beside the twins, glanced at the human, then turned to Elladan. "Sir, we found the troll's lair. It is an hour and a half's ride from here. The troll is unlikely to come in this direction tonight, so we can camp here with little risk."

"Excellent. We will camp here, tonight. Our companion will not be up to riding anywhere just yet." The older twin spared a glance for the human and looked back at the elven warrior. "He does not understand Westron, so we need to get him to my father as soon as possible. Communication is of the utmost importance. We will leave at first light." The other elf nodded and rose to relay this information to the others.

* * *

Vlad listened carefully to the conversation going on in front of him. The language they spoke seemed lyrical, and wholly different from the one they had spoken to him. It sounded like singing, as though these people devoted their lives to music. The four new people had relieved their mounts of their saddles and gear, and let them roam for grass.

Vlad noticed the cohesion of the group. Without a word, his companions began to set up camp, clearing loose branches and leaves, and digging out a pit in the grass. 'Logical place for a fire,' Vlad thought as he watched them set stones in the pit. One gathered kindling and began to build a fire in the pit. Another pulled out cooking gear and food supplies. A third took up a bow and quiver of arrows and left the clearing. 'I wonder what kind of game can be found in these parts,' Vlad pondered. The twins joined the fourth in laying cloaks and bedrolls out for sleeping.

The one who had left the camp returned with a brace of coneys a half hour later. He knelt by the fire and efficiently dressed them and prepared them for cooking. By this time, the one who had taken out the cooking gear had herbs and vegetables cooking in a pot of water over the fire. The meat was added and the smell of a delicious stew soon filled the clearing.

All six sat around the fire, humming quietly to themselves. One started a lovely tune that the others joined him in humming. When the stew was ready, tin plates and spoons were pulled out and everyone was served. One of the twins passed a plate to Vlad, and he gratefully accepted it.

Elrohir was worried. The man seemed pleasant enough, but there was something 'off' about him. The younger twin couldn't place it, but it felt wrong somehow. There was no reason for it, that he could see. An unarmed man of late middle age could hardly pose a threat to six well-armed elves. But somehow, he exuded a presence of danger.

After the dishes had been washed up, Vlad noticed one of his companions walk out of the clearing and disappear up a tree. He supposed it made sense. The sentry could keep watch without the risk of being incapacitated before he could warn the camp. Something about these people was bothering him, though. It was getting dark, now, and his companions seemed to be glowing. The glow was brightening the darker it got, but it wasn't a ghostly glow. It was in their eyes, as well.

The singing had stopped, at this point. The remaining five of the group were settling on their bedrolls. As Vlad tried to get comfortable on the ground, he noticed none of them closed their eyes. They simply stared up at the sky, eyes slowly glazing over.

These people, while definitely _not_ human, seemed friendly enough. They offered him, a complete stranger, their food and a space by their fire. He felt an odd power coming from them, but none of it was threatening. And certainly not to him. They even tried to tend the wound on the back of his head. If these... creatures were so solicitous of his well-being, he could probably trust them not to kill him in his sleep. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.


	3. Travel

A/N: Time for the responses to the latest reviews.

**Hordak's Pupil**: While this is true, Vlad can hardly go looking for something that he has never heard of. The silence wouldn't just be about Its location, but the Item Itself.

**Inukagome15**: As you will soon see, Elrond and Glorfindel do still know English. (Aren't time paradoxes fun? I learned to appreciate them watching the various Star Trek series.) Anyway, I deliberately played with the functions of natural portals to enable the paradox. The characters will discuss this eventually. Also, Vlad has been given a ghost sense by other fic authors. It's just that his works differently than Danny's. That is what we have done here.

Once again, thank you to all readers. I love reviews, so please let me know what you think of the story. Enjoy!

Author's Note from Miriam1: I realize that this chapter feels more like filler. However, the interaction that will take place once they get to Rivendell will make it worth the wait.

Chapter 3: Travel

Disclaimer: I do not own Vlad Masters or _The Lord of the Rings_.

Vlad suddenly woke to someone shaking him gently and speaking to him quietly. He opened his eyes to see one of the twins kneeling beside him. It was still dark. At first, Vlad thought there was a problem and looked around. The others were packing their gear. The fire pit had been covered over by the chunk of turf that had been cut out to make it.

The bedrolls had mostly been rolled, except for Vlad's. One of the beings walked to the edge of the clearing and gave a low whistle. Within seconds, there was a sound of hoofbeats, and the horses entered the clearing, standing patiently to receive their tack. Here was something the man could help with. He enjoyed going on long rides at home, and knew how to put the tack on. Vlad got up and walked over to the neat line of saddles.

His companions seemed pleased that he was trying to help, and one led a horse over, indicating which saddle belonged on it. Vlad nodded and placed the light saddle blanket on the horse's back. The horse turned its head around and gave him a friendly nudge. He patted the horse kindly and moved to put the saddle on. He was surprised at the weight, which was unusually light for a riding saddle. The girth strap was designed to be less restrictive on the horse's breathing and movement than saddles he had used back home. Vlad went to get the bridle next, but there was none. All he found was a rope headstall, which allowed the rider to control the horse's direction of movement without digging into the horse's mouth as a bit tended to do.

His companions had saddled the other horses when he finished. The horses' riders attached their saddlebags and mounted. With only six mounts, it seemed Vlad would need to share. He had rarely seen two riders on a single horse, because it tended to slow the horse down. These people were in a hurry, obviously, since it was barely sunrise. So why slow down the group by taking on another person, when there is an insufficient number of mounts?

Vlad was surprised when one of the twins moved his horse closer to the man and held out a hand. He took it and quickly found himself yanked up onto the horse, behind the rider. The horse only shifted a little under the added weight. Each rider took up his reins and urged their mounts into a steady canter.

Vlad noticed that the horse he rode had no trouble staying in the lead. In fact, the twin he rode with seemed to be competing with his brother as to who could reach a certain tree at the top of the next rise. As each rise was reached, they would select their next target. These impromptu races were very close, and they seemed to discuss the winner of the last race as they were holding the current race.

From Vlad's relatively unnoticed place, he rolled his eyes as the twins 'raced' to the next hill. This 'game' they played reminded him of a silly game that Daniel might play with his friends. It made sense for Daniel to play them; he was a child. Surely, such behavior in grown... well... whatever these things are... was unseemly.

They came out of the forest and turned onto a well-used road. They had not been on the road very long, when the sound of hoofbeats came from behind. Whoever was approaching was moving fast, and there were a lot of them. Vlad's head snapped in the direction of the noise, and the others looked at him sharply. His companions reined in their horses, and the hoofbeats drew closer. Six pairs of eyes narrowed in thought, but they were distracted as a party of eight horsemen turned a bend in the road behind them.

The other group approached, and the twins moved forward to meet them., smiling as the horsemen drew up a few feet away. One of the first things Vlad noticed was that, unlike his current companions, this new party was comprised of humans. They spoke in that language that his companions tried to use with him. But these people knew it well enough. The men were all very tall, taller than himself by nearly a foot. They were lean, but well-muscled, and obviously strong. Their eyes were silver-grey, like those of his companions, and had an eerily similar glow in them. They also all had raven-black hair, like Daniel and Jack.

* * *

Elladan greeted Aranarth warmly. The eldest son of the late king, Arvedui, seemed deeply worried. "What have you been doing that has you so worried, my friend?"

The one-time Crown Prince of Arthedain looked at him solemnly. "We have been scouting in the Weather Hills. Orcs have overrun the entire region. Angmar is preparing to wipe out what remains of the Northern _Dúnedain_. I am going to Imladris to warn your father."

The young elf nodded. "We will meet you there, then. Our errand is less urgent." He looked back at the man behind him, studying the scouts. "We found this Man in the Trollshaws. He does not appear to understand Westron, but Father may be able to help with that."

Aranarth nodded. "We had better go on. I will see you in Rivendell." He signaled his men, and they were soon galloping down the Road as fast as they dared push their mounts. When the _Dúnedain_ had gone around the bend, Elladan nodded to his brother, signaled the others, and also continued on.

* * *

Glossary

Arthedain- one of three kingdoms formed out of Arnor several hundred years earlier. It was the last surviving one. Its last Crown Prince became the first of the Chieftains of the Rangers.

_Dúnedain_- (Sindarin) plural. singular- _dúnadan_.descendants of the Men of Númenor. They dwell in two distinct kingdoms: Gondor in the South, and Arnor in the North.

Imladris (S)- Rivendell. Founded in 1697 SA by Lord Elrond Halfelven.

Road- the Great East Road. It crosses the length of Eriador in an East-West direction.


	4. Arrival

A/N: More reviews! Thanks for reading.

**Hordak's Pupil**: This story is a little over a thousand years prior to _The Lord of the Rings_. The events covered can be found in Appendix A. Check specifically the sections on the Kings of Arnor and the Kings of Gondor. As I said in the summary, it takes place about halfway through the Third Age of Middle-earth, in the year 1975.

**Inukagome15**: You're very insightful. Beyond that, you're just going to have to wait and see. :Evil grin:

Chapter 4: Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own Vlad Masters, Danny Phantom, or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The remainder of the journey was uneventful. They moved rapidly over the next few hours. Vlad was not used to such a grueling pace.

In the afternoon, they crossed a wide river ford. Vlad noticed his companions relax slightly and sigh in relief the moment they finished crossing the river. The horses' pace was slowed to a fast walk as they followed the road into a deep river valley. His companions spoke briefly to the various groups they met coming out of the valley. Two or three groups were composed of humans, men and women. One was comprised of short, bearded men riding small ponies, carrying large axes, and wearing what looked to be very heavy chain mail.

They soon came into a large courtyard outside a very large house. Wide windows and balconies allowed light and fresh air into the house. The courtyard itself was very busy with people preparing to leave on wagons, horses, and ponies, and people just arriving. The stable hands were leading various mounts in and out of the stable. Closer to the house, groups of children were playing.

Vlad and his companions dismounted, the riders removing saddlebags before handing their horses over to waiting stable hands. The twins spoke to another stable hand, who headed to the house, weaving around the people in the crowded courtyard. The others in their group left, presumably seeking loved ones and friends. The twins each lay a hand on Vlad's back, and were about to escort him into the house, when the doors of the house opened.

* * *

Elrond looked across his desk at his seneschal. The blond elf was telling him about a new patrol route plan. It would increase each patrol's assigned area, but the valley would have an earlier warning should danger enter the valley. It was a sound proposal.

But the half-elf was only half focused on what Glorfindel was saying. Since he woke that morning, he'd had a strange sense of foreboding. He knew something was coming to threaten the valley, but he didn't know what form the danger would take. Foresight could be very difficult to deal with sometimes.

Elrond brought himself back to the conversation at hand as Glorfindel finished his lengthy proposal. "What is your opinion of the idea, my lord?" the older elf asked. Elrond carefully considered his response. He had developed a talent for keeping track of conversations, even when his mind wandered.

"The idea is a good one. The earlier warning will give us more time to prepare in an attack. Begin implementing it with the next patrol rotation." Glorfindel nodded. "I am still worried about the recent developments in the war with Angmar. It has been silent until this word from Aranarth."

"Yes, I know," Glorfindel acknowledged. "But things may change in our favor soon." Elrond looked at him questioningly. "Círdan sent a messenger bird, saying a fleet has just arrived from Gondor, led by Crown Prince Eärnur." The blond elf grinned. "The fleet was so large that both the Harlond and Forlond were filled, and they still did not have the harborage for them all. The Crown Prince came to Círdan and apologized for not bringing more, but these were all his father could spare at this time."

Elrond smiled. "Gondor's main fleet is large indeed." Then, he was all business. "Begin mustering the warriors. Make sure they are ready to leave at a moment's notice. When Círdan sends the word, we will need to leave as soon as possible."

As Glorfindel acknowledged the order, a knock came on the study door. "Come in," Elrond called.

An elf from the stables opened the door. "My lord, your sons have returned from the Trollshaws. They bring an _adan_ with them. He is well dressed, if oddly so, and Lord Elladan told me he spoke a strange language." Elrond and Glorfindel glanced at one another, both recognizing the vague description. They nodded and rose from their chairs.

* * *

Two people emerged from the house. One was a very tall blond dressed, like the group Vlad had come in with, in clothes that could blend into the trees. The other, slightly shorter and dark-haired, was dressed more richly in clothing reminiscent of a noble's. Both came towards Vlad and the twins. The dark-haired one closely resembled the twins, and must be a close relative.

There was something about these two Vlad couldn't identify. The blond triggered a feeling similar to, but not quite, his ghost sense. The dark-haired one radiated power to a degree he had never sensed in anyone before, including Pariah Dark. This one was likely the one in charge here.

The two new arrivals reached them and the dark-haired one greeted the twins affectionately. He glanced curiously at Vlad and called over the blond one, who had a puzzled look on his face. The four spoke quietly and the halfa just caught something that sounded like 'Danny'. Vlad was annoyed that he was being ignored, but waited to be acknowledged. "This is all Daniel's fault. He's the one who blasted me into that portal," he muttered.

Vlad was startled when the richly dressed one turned from the whispered conversation, and said, "I apologize, but my sons have brought some news I need to listen to immediately. I shall speak with you in a moment." The twins looked at him in surprise as he spoke, but Vlad was trying to figure out what he'd just heard. This person was the twins' _father_? The twins looked to be in their late 20s. Their purported father looked in his late 30s.

'Wait a minute, how is it possible that this being can speak _English_!' The mystery escalated.

* * *

Elrond came outside, followed by Glorfindel, and headed over to where his sons stood, flanking an adult human. The man was tall, if not as tall as the elves around him, with grey hair and beard. He carried himself well, as though he was used to having things his own way. As they drew closer, he noticed a strangely familiar feeling. He put it to the side for the moment as he greeted his sons. "Elladan, Elrohir, I hope the hunt was successful?"

Elladan shook his head. "We found this _adan_ before we ever found the troll's lair. The rest of the patrol located it an hour and a half further down the trail. We stayed with the _adan_ because he was unconscious when we found him."

Elrohir continued. "I had a strange sense of danger from him which I cannot explain. There is little about him to suggest that he could be a threat."

Elrond glanced at the man standing not far away. There was definitely something he didn't like about this _adan_. "Glorfindel, could you come here a moment?" His seneschal had been standing a few feet back, but now came closer, a puzzled look on his face. "Glorfindel, remember how several _yéni_ ago, you mentioned how young Danny resonated to you in the Theme of the Music?"

Glorfindel nodded thoughtfully. "This _adan_ has a similar resonance. But it feels... less harmonious. There is something about him I do not like. Whereas Danny's place was congenial, this _adan_ feels like he cannot be trusted." Glorfindel thought of mentioning the feeling of a spirit presence like he'd felt around Danny.

The _adan _muttered in a strangely familiar language. "This is all Daniel's fault. He's the one who blasted me into that portal."

At this utterance, Elrond and Glorfindel realized that there were too many coincidences for this not to be related: the speaking of English, the mention of portals, this odd spirit presence. "This bears further investigation," Elrond noted. He then turned to face the human and, to his sons' astonishment, said, "I apologize, but my sons have brought some news I need to listen to immediately. I shall speak with you in a moment." The human seemed shocked that Elrond could speak his language, but Elrond decided it could be discussed later.

They proceeded to talk about the precise location of the lair and possible plans for a future hunt. With these plans made, with only details of timing to be fulfilled, Elrond was now ready to turn back to the strange _adan_.

Turning to the _adan_, Elrond said, "Come with us. We have much to discuss."

* * *

Glossary

Harlond (S 'south haven')- Harbor on the southern side of the Gulf of Lhûn, on the West shores of Middle-earth.

Forlond (S 'north haven')- Harbor on the northern side of the Gulf of Lhûn. Both harbors serve Mithlond, the Grey Havens.

_adan_ (S.)- singular. Plural _edain_. Man, human. Once referred strictly to the Three Houses of the Elf-friends, now used to refer to all Men.

_yéni_ (S.)- long years. One _yén_ is 144 solar years.

Music- the Great Music. It binds the world and its history together into a cohesive whole. All living beings have a part, connected to all others in one way or another. Discussed at greater length in Chapter 13 of "A Ghost in Middle-earth."


	5. Lots of Questions

A/N: More reviews! Thanks to all who reviewed.

_Hordak's Pupil_: Perhaps, if he knew what they were saying. In any case, elven perception is very new to Vlad. I doubt he'd really understand how they know.

And now, on with the fic...

Chapter 5: Lots of Questions

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The _adan_ followed the two elves in to Elrond's study, and Elrond offered him a seat. Glorfindel stood behind Elrond as he sat down. He began, "My name is Elrond. Who are you?"

"I am Vladimir Masters. You may call me Vlad." From his attitude and choice of words, it was clear that Vlad was used to being in control of conversations and, quite possibly, a good deal of other things. "Where are we?"

Elrond remembered his discussion with Danny so long ago. "You are in the valley of Rivendell, in Eastern Eriador, on the continent of Endor, on the world of Arda. By the language you speak, I assume you are from the United States, on Earth."

The man jumped slightly at this, and a look of shock crossed his face. "Yes. I'm from Wisconsin. But most recently, I'm from Amity Park, Illinois. I'm the mayor, actually. And how is it that you know English, or about the United States, or about _Earth_?"

Elrond smiled enigmatically. "Many years ago, we met a young boy named Danny from Amity Park, Illinois."

"You... know a Danny who lives in Amity Park, Illinois?" Vlad asked, with skepticism dripping off his tongue.

"Indeed. He was a remarkable young boy. A hero, actually."

Vlad was taken aback. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were describing Daniel Fenton. How could you have met Daniel?"

Elrond considered how to answer this. "His name was Danny, and he did say that his surname was Fenton. He said that portal which caused his accident..." His eyes were lost in thought.

Vlad threw his hands in front of his face. "Wait a minute! You said you met him many years ago! Daniel only had his accident a _year and a half_ ago!" Vlad fumed in confusion. _Something_ was not right.

Elrond's eyes flashed stormy grey for a brief second. He did not appreciate being yelled at in his own home. Vlad raised his eyebrows at the change of eye color. He knew _he_ did it and that _Daniel_ did it when they were angry enough, but for a creature such as Elrond to do it unsettled him. He backed down a bit.

Elrond raised an eyebrow, realizing he had taken back control of the conversation. "These portals you have come through... do they transport people through different parts of _time _as well as space?"

Vlad jerked his head. 'How can he know of this?' he thought. "Sometimes. Why?" Vlad asked cautiously.

"Apparently," Elrond answered, "Danny visited our realm in our distant past, and your not-too-distant future."

Vlad still looked unsettled, but decided that this explained a lot. "Did he mention me while he was here?"

Elrond shook his head. "Not by name. But he did mention two other half-ghosts besides himself." Vlad spluttered. "How long have you been a half-ghost?"

Indignantly, he asked, "What are you talking about?"

Elrond's grey eyes narrowed. "Do not bother trying to lie to me."

Vlad stared, open-mouthed. Throwing caution to the wind, and with quiet anger, he asked, "How could you possibly know that?"

Glorfindel now entered the conversation. "That is currently not your concern." A thought for Danny's safety crossed Glorfindel's mind if this man ever got home. "But rest assured, it was not Danny who told us."

A look of genuine surprise crossed Vlad's face. This blond-haired creature obviously cared for the well-being of young Daniel. If Daniel didn't tell them, then how did they know? They weren't going to tell him, so he moved on to his next question. "Obviously, you know what I am." Vlad announced. "May I know _what_ you are, as you are obviously not human."

Elrond returned Vlad's disdain and said, "No, we are not. We are Elves." He thought to himself, 'While it is true that I am half human, I would not wish to reveal our shared heritage with this person.'

Vlad had nothing to say about this. Now that the personal introductions, and a good deal of acrimony, had been laid on the table, Elrond resumed the conversation with its main purpose in mind. "If you fell through a natural portal, it is clear that you have no control over when, or how, you can return to your home. While you remain in _our _realm, do you intend peace or harm?"

Vlad couldn't say for certain. Scheming is difficult if you don't know the rules of the realm. He decided to play it safe. For now. Vlad sighed. "Very well, I mean you no harm."

Elrond wasn't so certain of that, but decided that, while Vlad was obviously reluctant to state his intentions, Rivendell _was _a haven and Vlad was lost. He could let the man stay for now. The rest could be dealt with as it arose.

Elrond observed Vlad, who still wore a disconcerted expression. There was something about this expression that reminded him of Danny after the boy had told his secret, but before he was sure of the elves' intentions with him. Danny was sensitive about sharing his secret. Perhaps Vlad was too. "Vlad," Elrond said in a gentle tone, that startled the man from his reverie, "we recognize your secret is precious to you. Neither Glorfindel nor I will reveal it to any besides my sons, who have already picked up on your spirit presence."

Vlad's eyes lit up in gratitude, but his expression still showed concern. "I should thank you, I suppose. May I ask a personal question?" Elrond nodded, deciding that if it were too personal, he could be as vague as necessary. "You addressed the identical elves as your sons, but you don't look more than ten years older than them. How can this be?"

Elrond smiled. "Elves live far longer than humans. We stop physically aging at the age of 50, but to human eyes it would look more in our twenties or thirties. I am several thousand years old, and the twins are a mere 1845." Vlad was surprised at this casual dismissal of a few millennia of life. But then again, there were a few ghosts who had existed at least that long, so even though it was surprising to hear of living beings around that long, the concept wasn't completely unheard of.

As long as they were being congenial, Vlad decided there was no reason not to answer the question Elrond asked him earlier. "You asked me how long I've been a half-ghost. Since all of this time-bending will have changed the answer, the most accurate answer I can give you is that I had my powers for twenty years before Daniel got his. Like Daniel, an accident with an invention of his _father's _caused me to become a half-ghost."

Elrond noticed that Vlad primarily put the responsibility for said accident on Danny's father. He remembered that Danny himself took full responsibility for his own accident. He decided to keep that observation to himself. Elrond closed his eyes, took a cleansing breath, reopened his eyes, and said, "As long as you are here, you are welcome to seek shelter in Rivendell. I am going to find out which rooms are available." The half-elf turned to Glorfindel behind him. "Can you get Erestor? He should have a current list of the rooms available."

Glorfindel nodded and left the study. Within minutes, he returned with Elrond's chief councilor, who held a large book under one arm. "Erestor, this _adan_, Vlad, will be staying with us for a time. Which rooms are available?"

Erestor glanced at the human curiously and then opened the ledger he'd brought with him. He absently noted he would need to get a new ledger and then scanned the list on the final page of notes. "There is a room on the second floor, facing East, across the hall from the small library. It was vacated two days ago, by the leader of the party of dwarves from the Blue Mountains."

Elrond responded, "Thank you, Erestor. That will be all." The dark-haired councilor bowed and left the room, sparing a small smile for Glorfindel before he closed the door behind him. Elrond faced Vlad again. "It appears fortune is with you, Vlad. One of the best rooms has become available. It is large, it is spacious, and it faces the East."

* * *

Vlad didn't know what the two elves said until Elrond turned back to him, but apparently, they discussed the availability of the rooms. If Elrond spoke the truth, then it would indeed be his good fortune that the room they would assign to him was particularly luxurious. "Thank you for your generosity," Vlad said sincerely.

Elrond smiled. "Glorfindel, will you be so good as to show Vlad to his room and point out the dining room?"

"Certainly."

Turning back to Vlad, Elrond said, "You will be able to settle yourself and freshen up before we dine at 7." He nodded at Glorfindel, who gestured for Vlad to precede him out the door. The two left, and Elrond resumed the paperwork so necessary to running the realm.

* * *

Glossary

Eriador- a geographical region in northwestern Middle-earth. The Shire is in the middle of this region.

Endor (S.)- Middle-earth.

Arda- the World that Is. It includes Middle-earth and the Undying Lands.


	6. Exploring and More Questions

A/N: I love reviews! Thanks to all reviewers.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Only time will tell.

**Amazing Bluie**: Interesting thought. At present, I can't think who she would meet or what she would do there. Please keep in mind: the sheer indulgence in getting our beloved halfa to Middle-earth cannot take precedence over lack of storyline. If we can figure out what to make her do there, we will consider it.

**Inukagome15**: Yes, elves are great that way. It will be helpful later on. Vlad WILL have a plan and you're just going to have to see what happens. Time paradoxes are only confusing for the characters until they've accepted their new reality. It's all fun for the authors.

And now, on with the story...

Chapter 6: Exploring and More Questions

Disclaimer: I do not own _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

Glorfindel escorted Vlad to his room. The route they took was very winding. The hallways looked a lot alike. The halfa had a difficult time keeping track of the twists and turns. And that was just to get to the stairs. Once upstairs, it was a short walk down the hall and a sharp right. The blond elf had said little, except to indicate where the dining hall was early on in the walk through the halls.

They stopped at a door and Glorfindel opened it. "This will be your room for the duration of your stay," the elf told Vlad. "If you will excuse me, I have to resume my duties." He turned on his heel and walked off, leaving Vlad alone outside his room.

Vlad entered the room and noticed that it was indeed spacious. A large wardrobe stood against one wall. On the opposite wall stood a large queen-sized bed. The bed stood a few feet from the outside wall. In this wall was a door that opened onto a wide balcony that overlooked the expansive gardens. He could hear the flow of waterfalls from several directions. Next to the bed was a washstand holding a towel, basin, and a pitcher of water. Vlad went to the washstand, poured some of the water into the basin, and washed his hands and face.

Stepping out onto the balcony, Vlad admired the myriad of flowers that grew in the garden below. Wide paths wended their way around the flower beds, a fountain played off to the right, and elves walked along the paths, enjoying the beautiful afternoon. Sitting on a bench beneath a tall oak tree, two elf-women sat embroidering. One had bright silver hair that shone like the moon. The other's hair was dark as midnight. Vlad couldn't see their faces, but both were stunningly beautiful. The dark-haired woman was probably the most beautiful woman Vlad had ever seen. At that thought, Vlad mentally kicked himself. How could he even _think_ of desiring other women when the only one he had ever wanted was Maddie!

Vlad reentered his room and went ghost, preparing to get an idea of the layout of the small valley. The black rings formed around his waist, one moving up and one moving down, transforming Vlad Masters into Vlad Plasmius. He turned invisible and flew outside, noting which window was his, and gaining enough altitude to get an idea of the local geography. The view was very impressive.

In front of Vlad was a long mountain range, extending North and South as far as he could see. The valley was bordered on all sides by a large forest of oak and pine trees. A river flowing from the mountains bordered the valley on two sides, North and West, and a second river flowing by the house on the South end met the first to form a small angle of land leading to the foothills of the mountains.

Within the valley was the house itself, which was surrounded by gardens. The stable stood at the edge of the courtyard. Well away from the house, on the North side, stood a large open smithy. Elves were busy in making and repairing all sorts of items. On the East side was a practice field, where elves were practicing sword-work, knife-work, archery, and some kind of martial arts. Even as high as he was, Vlad noticed how much like a dance their combat style was. It was beautiful in its deadly grace.

The half-ghost returned to his room and transformed just in time to hear bells. He came into the hall to see several other people emerge from other rooms. Some spoke together in small groups. One man glanced at Vlad curiously, but said nothing. As Vlad followed the crowd down to the dining hall, he noticed that a lot of elves were looking at him with puzzled looks on their faces.

Other people roamed the halls as well. Humans were there in large numbers, mostly dark-haired and grey-eyed. There was also a group of bearded men around Danny's height that reminded Vlad of the group he'd seen that afternoon. None of these people really paid attention to him. They seemed to have decided that he was just one more guest of the valley.

* * *

Glorfindel sat near the door, watching the various guests enter and find seats. Lord Elrond, his wife Celebrìan, his daughter Arwen, and the twins were seated in the front of the room, below the dais where the High Table was placed for the formal dinners. He had seen Celebrìan and Arwen in one of the gardens on the East side of the house on his way to the practice field. The twins had spent the afternoon in their rooms, planning the troll hunt in all its myriad details.

The blond elf turned his head as the door opened yet again, to reveal Vlad. The man seemed a bit uncomfortable being around so many people he didn't know and couldn't communicate with. Glorfindel decided the man might like having someone to talk to. It would also enable him to keep a close eye on the man. "Vlad," he called. The man turned sharply at the sound of his name. Glorfindel waved him over, and Vlad complied.

He waited for the man to serve himself. He asked, "May I ask you questions of your world?"

Vlad raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. "What would you like to know?"

"How is Danny?"

Vlad refrained from rolling his eyes. For reasons beyond his comprehension, the blond elf cared entirely too much for his young rival. "I suppose you'd be interested to know that he has developed a new power: he can now create and manipulate ice."

Glorfindel thought about this. He knew that the teen had many powers that he refrained from discussing. He was now told that, in addition to the heat he could generate, he could also generate ice. "Do you also share this power?"

The urge to grit his teeth was very strong. However, Vlad also knew that this elf did not know of his rivalry with the other half-ghost. "No. I do not share this power. However, with his cold core that generates his ice, it is unlikely that he will develop the power of using electricity against his opponents."

"What is electricity?" Glorfindel asked curiously, unfamiliar with the term.

'Interesting,' Vlad thought. 'This concept has possibilities.' To Glorfindel, he responded, "Lightning is electricity with its power completely unharnessed."

"Do _you_ have this 'electric' power, or the power to harness lightning?"

Vlad answered honestly, "In a fashion, yes."

Glorfindel wasn't sure he liked the idea of a living being controlling lightning. "How is it that both you and Danny are half-ghosts, but you do not share all the same powers?"

The question shouldn't have surprised Vlad, but it did. "I honestly don't know," he answered frankly. "Not all ghosts have the same powers. Half-ghosts are far more powerful than most other ghosts." Holding a finger to his mouth for a moment, he sat in thought. "I do believe that there are only two ghosts more powerful than myself and Daniel. They would be two ancient ghosts, named Pariah Dark and Vortex." With a hint of pride, he added, "When Daniel and I worked together, we defeated each of them in their turn." He refrained from mentioning that, in both cases, Daniel did the lion's share of the work.

"If the two of you working together are so powerful..." Glorfindel seemed seriously bothered by the idea.

Vlad sighed. "I've been trying to get Daniel to join me since I discovered he was a half-ghost," he said sincerely.

"But Danny refuses."

"Much to my frustration," Vlad growled.

Glorfindel nodded. His respect for Danny jumped up immeasurably. Taking a different tack, he asked, "Danny spoke of a third half-ghost. Do you know this person?"

Vlad narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I do. And I would respectfully request that you not ask about her."

Glorfindel was surprised at this adamant refusal to discuss this topic, but knew he would get nowhere if he tried to press the issue. "As you wish. You said you are the mayor of Amity Park. What goes on there?"

Vlad appreciated the normality of such a question. "It's a small town, as far as cities in America go. Standard commerce goes on there. Education of children. Residential development." A smile of pride crossed his face. "One of the bigger industries is technology. Months before I became mayor, I took over the Axion Corporation and merged it with my own, VladCo. We specialize in security technologies. One of our more recent developments renders an area protected from rogue ghosts. This is one business venture that has had many fruitful returns."

Glorfindel took a moment to absorb all of this information. He understood the concepts of security and defense, but some of what Vlad spoke of was beyond him. "Is the defense against rogue ghosts a serious issue in Amity Park?"

"The people seem to think so. It should make you happy to know that Daniel, personally, works tirelessly to protect the town from said rogue ghosts." Glorfindel heard the note of resignation in Vlad's voice. Even so, he could tell that Vlad was being honest with him. Mostly.

People around them started getting up, signifying the end of dinner. Glorfindel informed Vlad, "It is the custom of many in Rivendell to go stargazing and to sing under the stars. It is not uncommon for folks to take advantage of the good weather and take a stroll. Normally, I would suggest perusing the library as another option, but we have no books in English. All of our literature is in Elvish runes. I could direct you to one of the recreation halls where games of strategy are played."

Vlad perked up at this. "Games of strategy? This interests me." He frowned. "You and Elrond have other things to do. I couldn't expect you to drop what you're doing to translate for me so I could learn the rules of such games."

Glorfindel was intrigued by this _adan_. He didn't like the feelings he was picking up, but Vlad was very complex. While he obviously didn't like Danny, Glorfindel could tell that Vlad's preoccupation with the boy showed how much he really cared. He wanted to know more about this man. The best way he knew of to do that was to see how he played games of strategy. The methods he used would be an indicator of the kind of person he was. "Then do not ask. I will ask _you_ to come with me. Would you like to come and play?"

Vlad started in surprise. "You would do this for me?"

Glorfindel raised his eyebrows. "Yes, I would."

Vlad smiled gratefully. "Then shall we?" Glorfindel nodded and gestured him out of the room.


	7. A Prince and an Invitation

A/N: I'd like to offer special thanks to Hordak's Pupil for being the only person to review last chapter. Three kosher cyber cookies for that! Yes, Vlad is a slimy snake. I didn't think of him as being manipulative in that scene, but I understand why you saw it that way.

The scene I'm sure you have all been waiting for is coming this chapter. (And if you haven't been, I have!) Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 7: A Prince and An Invitation

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

An hour later, Glorfindel had beaten Vlad two games to one at a game very similar to chess. Vlad was very good at chess, but the elf had been playing this game for thousands of years. Vlad was impressed by Glorfindel's skill. It took a lot to get past Glorfindel's defenses. The elf set up backups upon backups to protect his most valuable pieces. Vlad, on the other hand, liked to pick away at the weaker pieces, working his way up until only the stronger pieces were left. It usually involved establishing false trails, tricking his opponent into leaving a piece vulnerable at just the right moment. With Glorfindel, these tricks rarely worked.

Vlad enjoyed the challenge. It would only make him a better player. Vlad began to think that his stay would be very enjoyable if he could look forward to these games with Glorfindel whenever he could spare the time. With the difficulty in finding out when a portal might open, it might keep him from losing it to have something to look forward to in the evenings.

Glorfindel also enjoyed the games. He rarely found anyone with the skill to really challenge him. Vlad was very good, and forced Glorfindel to put more thought into his moves. He appeared to be a very skilled tactician. If the elf wasn't careful, the man easily exploited the smallest hole in his defense.

This ability was what Glorfindel found so disturbing. If this game-play was an indication of how Vlad's mind operates in general, then Vlad's tendency to misdirect and pick at the weaker pieces indicated a very manipulative mind. He was not the kind of person who liked fair fights, preferring to have the upper hand. This man did have a healthy respect for power and those who wield it, but was also ready to take advantage of any perceived weakness.

Their games had drawn a crowd around them, mostly of Men. One of the ones watching Vlad the closest was Prince Aranarth. The _Dúnadan_ seemed genuinely interested in the other man's strategy and tactics.

After the end of the third game, he broke out of the audience circle and approached Glorfindel. Indicating Vlad, he asked, "Would you be so kind...?"

Glorfindel refrained from raising an eyebrow, although he felt he should, and he asked, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Giving Glorfindel a confused look, the prince asked, "Why should I not?"

Glorfindel shook his head. He thought, 'If he does not see it, and he is not paying attention to his feelings on the matter, who am I to interfere? As a _Dúnadan_, the prince should have been able to pick up _something_ about this man. If he is being willfully blind, that is his own affair.' He turned to the prince, and said in Westron, "Your Highness, the man you wish to meet is named Vlad Masters." He turned to Vlad, and said in English, "This gentleman who wishes to address you is Prince Aranarth of the _Dúnedain_."

Vlad's eyes widened. 'A human prince has taken an interest in me? Fascinating.' Vlad asked, "Can I help you?"

"I noticed that you are a master tactician," the prince explained through Glorfindel. "For someone of your age and experience, I wondered if I could prevail upon you to help form battle plans for our next move in the current war." Glorfindel rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue in annoyance, but said nothing on his own.

Vlad raised an eyebrow at Glorfindel, and then turned back to the young prince. "I would be honored to help in any way I can. But, please tell me how I have earned the attentions of a prince."

Aranarth began, "The realm of Angmar was founded 700 years ago by a sorcerer known as the Witch-king. Since then, various wars initiated by Angmar have resulted in the destruction of the two brother kingdoms to my own.

"About a year ago, the Witch-king of Angmar came down into Arthedain, my kingdom, in a full-out assault before the end of winter. He captured our capital in Fornost, and drove my people to the West-shores. My father held out on the North Downs, but was at last driven to the Northern bays.

"He and his men hid out in the mountains, but were eventually forced to seek aid with the people who lived there. With their horses gone, my father and his men had to wait for help. I heard of my father's flight and notified the Lord of the Grey Havens. He sent a ship, which never returned. Not long ago, we got news from the people of the North that the ship had arrived in _Súlimë_."

At this point in Glorfindel's translation, Vlad interrupted. "Beg pardon? What is '_Súlimë_'?"

Aranarth was surprised at this. "You do not know the names of the months?"

Vlad looked at Glorfindel, who shrugged. Vlad shook his head and answered, "Sorry. I'm not from around here, and I'm unfamiliar with these names in your language. Rest assured, I know the names of the months in mine."

Aranarth gave him a knowing look and said, "I understand. _Súlimë_ is the third month after the Yule season."

Vlad nodded and said, "Ah. March then." This garnered odd looks from Glorfindel and Aranarth. "_I_ didn't name the months. That's what it's called. You wouldn't know what to make of 'December' either."

They both nodded and Aranarth continued. "Anyway, the winter held on longer than normal, and the ice was only just breaking up.

"My father boarded the ship, but it never made it out of the bay. High winds drove the ship against the ice and more ice piled against it crushed the hull, causing the ship to founder. I now rule my people, but I need good tacticians to help plan the next stage of the war. I am only thirty-four and I can surely use the aid of someone as skilled, and as wise, as you are."

Vlad was taken aback. Glorfindel noticed this and explained, "The _Dúnedain_, the race the prince is from, age at a very different rate than the other races of Men. To a man of the prince's experience, you appear to be a man of 150 years. Therefore, he accords you, your suspected age, and your supposed wisdom a great deal of respect."

Vlad nodded slowly in understanding. "It would be my pleasure to aid you in any way I can."

Glorfindel had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't like the sound of this one bit. The _last_ thing he could have desired to do would be to put this strange man in a place of power. And yet, that is exactly where Vlad found himself. A temporary look of horror at this development was quickly replaced with bald resignation. He looked from the prince to Vlad, then back to the prince, and with a sigh, said, "Tomorrow, after I have taken care of my own duties regarding security and defense, I will be available for translation. Perhaps we'll meet after lunch."

Noting Glorfindel's discomfort, Vlad allowed himself a smile of pleasure. He thought, 'Not part of my original plans, but this'll do.' He couldn't have done better for himself if he'd planned it this way.

* * *

Glossary

Fornost- the second capital of Arthedain. In LOTR, it was called Fornost Erain, Norbury of the Kings. It lies due North of Bree.

Grey Havens- the city of Mithlond. The port city is inhabited by Elves, who build ships for those who are ready to sail West.

_Súlimë_- (Quenya) Windy. The third month of the year, corresponding roughly to March. _Dúnedain_ usually use the Sindarin names, but the Quenya was most common among speakers of Westron.


	8. First Day: The Scheming Begins

A/N: More reviews! Thanks for the renewed interest.

**Hordak's Pupil**: My most consistent reviewer. The Witch-king has been the Lord of the Nazgûl for over 2000 years at this point. There is a chronology in Appendix B to The _Lord of the Rings_. Aranarth doesn't know Vlad very well, so he is attributing qualities he would expect in a normal _Dúnadan_ of Vlad's relative age and experience.

**Inukagome15**: Two reviews at once! Glorfindel is a very clever elf. You have to be to live as long as he has. Glorfindel has learned far more about Vlad than he would care to know, but that knowledge is necessary. It is especially important because Vlad _can't_ be trusted. Hope you enjoy LOTR. It's a great book to read. Check out the Appendices when you finish. There is lots of extra info Tolkien couldn't include in the main story.

**Amazing Bluie**: Some seek greatness, while others have it thrust upon them. Vlad seems to get it both ways. He wants greatness, but he also gets it thrust on him when he least expects it.

Vlad gets to be Vlad a little more this chapter. Enjoy!

A happy, healthy, and sweet New Year from myself and my collaborator, Miriam!

Chapter 8: First Day... The Scheming Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The next morning, after breakfast, Vlad had the morning to himself. He spent that time reflecting on yesterday's events. He paced as he considered the two English-speaking elves he met. Vlad is an intensely private person, and he was disconcerted by the fact that these two beings whom he'd just met seemed to know far more about him than any human alive on Earth, besides Daniel, his sister, and his infernal friends!

They said that Daniel didn't tell them anything about him, except that there were other half-ghosts about. But that is only true if these... elves are to be believed. They didn't seem to be lying; he himself was the master of deception and he saw none of those characteristics about these creatures. That tall blond elf, however, seemed to be far too interested in young Daniel's well-being. Might he lie in order to protect Daniel? While the possibility lingered in his mind, it did not reconcile with the fact that they don't seem to be lying.

If Daniel didn't tell them, how would they know? Then, Vlad reminded himself of that feeling he'd had around Glorfindel. It wasn't his ghost sense, but it was a similar feeling. He couldn't place it, but that might factor into all of this.

Another thought came to him. Elrond, the apparent lord of the realm, knew immediately as he opened his mouth that he was about to lie about being a half-ghost. How would he know? Being practiced at this, Vlad knew that his lies were convincing to all but the already wary. But, he had done nothing. He was missing something important, and it was clear that the elves were not going to tell him. But just in case, he decided that he was going to play it straight until some other solution could be found.

Elrond... while Glorfindel set off a feeling similar to his ghost sense but wasn't, Elrond exuded a great power. Earlier, he identified it to himself as power greater than that of Pariah Dark. He remembered that the Ghost King's power was raised exponentially when he wore the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage. The sense of power around Elrond was even greater. He couldn't say for certain what it was or where it was coming from, but Vlad decided that Elrond was not an elf to cross.

One of Vlad's favorite developments of his whole day was finding the favor of a human Crown Prince. Again, he wasn't sure what exactly he'd done to deserve these attentions, but he was more than willing to see what he could do. The prince praised him for his strategic skills. He found it fascinating that he was thought of as an elder. It was odd to his experience to be treated with such deference by a man only ten years younger than him. At home, he couldn't even get a _teenager_ to show him that respect!

Vlad was asked to design a strategy for a battle plan. This he could do. This he certainly _would_ do. At this point, it benefitted him to help these people. He wondered about this Witch-king. Seven hundred years was a long time for a man to be alive. This whole situation bears investigation.

While he gloried in the prestige given by becoming a prince's strategist, he felt privately triumphant. Whether it was out of care for Daniel, or his own personal reasons, Glorfindel did not care for him. _That_ much was obvious. But in order to serve in his position as an assistant to the prince, Vlad would require the further services of Glorfindel as a translator. This fact pleased him. It was a minor victory, but a victory nonetheless.

* * *

Glorfindel went to Elrond's study first thing after breakfast. He knocked on the elf lord's door. At the muffled, "Come in," he entered. Elrond was at his desk, reading a report from a large stack next to him. The dark-haired elf looked up as Glorfindel stood behind the chair across from him. "What is it, Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel said, "This Vlad Masters is a character to be wary of! As good, kind, and noble as Danny was, Vlad is his exact opposite in almost every respect. From Vlad's first utterance that Danny had blasted him through a portal, it is clear that _he_ finds Vlad to be among his enemies. But if a word this man says is true, he seems to desire a partnership of some sort that young Danny has wisely spurned.

"Vlad is also a brilliant strategist and tactician. His tendency in games of strategy to misdirect and pick off the weaker pieces is very disturbing. I believe he has a very manipulative mind, and is willing to take advantage of any perceived weakness in his opponent. Unfortunately, Prince Aranarth has taken an interest in him. He has asked Vlad to assist in planning the assault on Angmar."

Elrond watched Glorfindel pace in front of his desk as he spoke. Elrond closed his eyes and shook his head. "I had a feeling that such would be the case. As per your assessment, and my own feelings, this is not a man to be trusted. But there is something else. I do not know what." After a few seconds with his face in a frown, he shook his head. "No matter. The best policy is to keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. I am not yet sure if he is an enemy of the realm, but we _do_ know that he is Danny's enemy. As long as he is with the _Dúnedain_, please continue to translate for him. There is no better way to keep tabs on an adversary than to actually translate his very words."

Glorfindel sighed. He was by no means fond of this particular _adan_, but Elrond was right. "Yes, my friend. I will do as you wish. Shall we meet at lunch?"

* * *

Glorfindel and Vlad entered the room that Prince Aranarth was using as his war room. All eyes turned to the elf and the strange man. The prince nodded at the elf and looked at the white-haired man. "Ah, Vlad. Thank you for coming." Indicating the men to his immediate left and right, he said, "These are my brothers, Aratan and Elendur. This man is the Steward of Arthedain, Eldacar. My chief advisor, Thorongal. And my highest general, Voronwë." As he indicated each, they bowed to him. Vlad nodded back, looking them over. Most of these men looked anxious to get their plans underway, and glad that their prince found someone worthy to get them started. Aratan, on the other hand, looked ill at ease and mistrustful. His expression reminded Vlad of the elves who looked at him. To his own frustration, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with these people!

Vlad said, "Show me where we are in relation to where the battle is to be." They moved to the conference table, where a large map of Northern Middle-earth was placed.

"We are here, in Rivendell." Aranarth indicated the stylization of a house at the confluence of two rivers, which lay near a forest. "The battle is to take place at Fornost." He pointed to a city nestled in the foothills of a mountainous region. Another mountain range stood to the Southeast, and another to the West, on the other side of a large lake, or inland sea. A large plain stood in the center of a rough triangle between the three mountain ranges. Vlad took a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write down place names as they were mentioned.

"Do we know the make-up of the forces we'll be up against?"

"Orcs and evil Men."

Vlad turned to Glorfindel. "Orcs?"

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes. "Orcs are incredibly evil creatures who only have death and destruction of all decent Races and peoples of Middle-earth in mind."

Vlad's eyes widened at the pure loathing Glorfindel aimed at these reputedly repugnant creatures called Orcs. Glorfindel noted the man's surprise. Apparently, whatever twisted schemes Vlad came up with in his own world were not of the same degree of evil as were Orcs. This was a point in the man's favor, Glorfindel grudgingly thought to himself. He nodded in the direction of the men at the table, and Vlad redirected his attention towards them. Vlad asked the men, "How many strong do we expect their forces to be?"

Aranarth answered, "In the tens of thousands, mostly Orcs."

Vlad nodded with new appreciation. He jotted down the figures and kept a running tally of who made up the forces and many strong they were. "Right. What kind of threat does the Witch-king himself present?"

The six _Dúnedain_ sat in silence, considering this question. It was Aratan who finally answered Vlad. "He poses a considerable threat. The Witch-king is a powerful sorcerer. In addition, his very presence causes even brave men to falter."

Vlad considered this. This Witch-king was powerful, no matter what he was. "What forces do we have on our side?"

Eldacar answered this one. "Our own forces number 2000. The Elves of Rivendell can contribute 3000 warriors. Lindon sends 5000. Gondor just sent up a fleet with 20,000 knights. From the Shire, we were sent fifty halfling archers."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Fifty... halflings? Of what use will they be?"

Glorfindel decided not to translate this, and answered Vlad directly. "They may be little, and they may be few, but never underestimate these powerful little warriors. Each is a deadly shot, and when it comes to power in small packages, it might serve you well to remember young Danny."

Vlad was totally taken aback. While he would never have admitted it to Daniel, despite his age, size, and inexperience, Vlad considered Daniel one of the most powerful ghosts in existence, only slightly behind himself in power and ability. He found it interesting that pint-sized archers could prove as comparable in worth as the teenaged half-ghost.

As the man and elf conversed in a strange tongue known only to themselves, the _Dúnedain_ present started having thoughts, and making assessments of their own. General Voronwë looked askance as Vlad asked the elf about Orcs. How was it that _any_ man of Middle-earth did not know of Orcs and the evil they posed? There wasn't time to share this thought, but he _would_ be filling in the prince later.

Prince Aratan noted the disdain of this stranger at the mention of the halflings. Besides the fact that the only Men he knew of with surnames lived in the Bree-land, this man not only didn't know Westron as did the Men of the Bree-land, but had no appreciation for the charming, yet deadly, halflings. From the first time Aratan laid eyes on Vlad, an inner sense told him to distrust this man. He wasn't sure why at first, but Glorfindel also seemed to be distrustful. As he apparently scolded the man for his light dismissal of the halflings, Aratan noted the distant coldness with which he treated the man. The Rivendell elves were known for their warm acceptance of all guests seeking shelter, so wordlessly, Glorfindel deepened Aratan's own suspicions against this man.

Vlad came back to the general conversation. "From which directions will our forces be coming?"

"Prince Eärnur and Lord Círdan's people are coming from the West, approximately two or three days of travel. The halflings can meet us in Bree, which is due South of Fornost." Voronwë told him. "A large number of our own people will journey with the Gondorians and Elves of Lindon. A few hundred will come here from Tharbad 200 miles down the Bruinen from the Ford. There are also large numbers of Wandering Companies of Elves throughout Eriador to whom word can be sent."

Vlad nodded and studied the copious notes he had taken. Turning to Glorfindel, he quietly asked, "What are the names of the mountain ranges surrounding the intended battlefield?"

Glorfindel answered just as quietly, "To the North are the North Downs, to the Southeast are the Weather Hills, and to the West are the Hills of Evendim." Vlad nodded again and wrote these new names into his notes.

"My idea is to have the Gondorians and the Elves of Lindon go to the North end of the Hills of Evendim. Our forces will camp in the North end of the Weather Hills. When everyone is in place, our forces will begin the assault. The Gondorians will sweep in around the lake and cut off the enemy's retreat. Once they engage the enemy's forces, we can maintain the defensive line between the Weather Hills and the North Downs.

"The main body will sweep around to cut off possible retreat West and South. Then, the reserve unit will come in and hold the line between the North Downs and the Hills of Evendim. If necessary, we will have enough forces to cover the North Downs as well."

As Glorfindel finished the translation, the men and elf took a moment to absorb the battle plan. It was brilliant in its thoroughness, but they were also struck by the cruelty of disallowing any kind of escape route. It went against their traditional rules of engagement, to leave an enemy no retreat option.

Voronwë shook off the shock first. He murmured, "Where are you from, Umbar?" Glorfindel didn't translate, as he recognized this as a private comment. Vlad looked at the general sharply, leaving Voronwë very puzzled. How had he heard him? No matter. He said, "It is clear you are not local. Besides the language, you seem to be unfamiliar with the local rules of engagement. While the battle itself may be fierce, we _always_ leave a route for retreat. To leave the enemy no such option is cruel and horribly unfair." Anger flashed in Vlad's eyes at this.

"Do you want a fair war, or a war you can win?"

Aratan cut into the discussion. "The two do not have to be mutually exclusive. We have fought wars in this manner for millennia. Such tactics have always worked."

The Steward, Eldacar, responded, "Perhaps so, Your Highness, but we face a different kind of enemy this time. We face the Witch-king, who himself shows no mercy."

Elendur rose to his brother's defense. "Is the Witch-king a greater foe than Sauron was? Even against him, we followed the traditional rules of engagement. We cannot turn from them for a lesser enemy. Today, we fight for our own survival; then, we fought for all of Middle-earth."

Aranarth listened to this. He turned to his chief advisor and said, "What do you think of this, Thorongal?"

"It sounds like a good plan, but I will require more time to think on it," Thorongal answered.

Aranarth now turned to Glorfindel. "And you, my lord? What is your opinion?"

Glorfindel thought for a moment. Saying, first in Westron and repeating in English, "The plan has a good deal of merit, but so do our standard rules of engagement. I shall have to think on it, but I have no counsel at this time."

Aranarth rolled his eyes, and said, "Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes." Glorfindel allowed himself a small smile as he translated this for Vlad.

Everyone sat quietly in thought for several minutes. Finally, Aranarth said, "Let us break for the evening. We all need to think through all of the arguments and I must get word to Círdan and Eärnur. We can reconvene tomorrow."

* * *

That night, Vlad paced his room, thinking over that afternoon's meeting. Prince Aranarth's brothers and general were all turned against him, for some reason. He would have no problem in dealing with it, of course. Overshadowing could do the trick, once he learned the language. That was the problem: learning the language. Then, he had it. He didn't need to know all of it, just a few sentences. He could overshadow a man's dreams for a short period every night, and pick up what he needed that way.

The question was: who would be the one the prince would listen to the most readily? He seemed to lean heavily on his brothers, but such a radical switch of opinion would make him suspicious. The general's battle knowledge was extensive. It would take little to convince the prince that the general had changed his mind. A few words was all it would take to demonstrate Voronwë's altered analysis of Vlad's battle plan. All he needed was a week or so, while they waited for responses from their allies.

Vlad transformed into Plasmius, turned invisible, and began searching for Voronwë's room. He phased through walls and floors, and soon located the general, who was fast asleep. He quickly overshadowed the sleeping man, and entered his dream.

* * *

Glossary

Lindon- A region surrounding the Grey Havens ruled by Lord Círdan. The original ruler was the High King Gil-galad, who died at the end of the last Age.

Halflings- A Westron term for hobbits, used first by the _Dúnedain_ because they averaged about half as tall as these Men, who tended towards an average height of six-foot-four.

Bree-land- A wooded area at the intersection of the Great East and North Roads, inhabited by Men and Hobbits. There are four villages, Bree, Archet, Staddle, and Combe.

Tharbad- A city in Southern Eriador, at the confluence of the Rivers Glanduin and Mitheithel.

Bruinen- the Loudwater. The River is crossed by the Great East Road at the Ford of Bruinen. Its upper reaches are controlled by Elrond, who can cause it to flood when enemies try to cross.

Umbar- coastal area of the Southern realm of Harad. This natural harbor was used by Númenor at the height of its power. At some point, it fell under Sauron's influence and its people became known as evil Black Númenóreans.

A/N: The five men, Aratan, Elendur, Eldacar, Voronwë, and Thorongal, are original characters created by us. Some names come from Tolkien, using names of elves and men from Middle-earth's history. Others are names we made up using actual Sindarin elements. Also, Aranarth does have brothers, but Tolkien never actually says how many. We decided on two.

Vlad's battle plan is really an excellent plan. Many of Earth's generals might have come up with something similar in a similar terrain. The reason the Men of Middle-earth have a problem is that the standard rules of engagement for Númenóreans is to leave the enemy a route of escape.

Also, cyber-cookies for anyone who guesses where Aranarth's response to Glorfindel comes from.


	9. Second Day: Suspicions

A/N: Cyber cookies for Amazing Bluie for the review. I recognize that some may not have read the last chapter yet because of Rosh Hashanah, but I'd like to thank him for his review. As always, I appreciate all reviews.

No, we are not going to show the general's dreams, but as for Vlad's plans... you'll just have to wait and see.

About the mistake... good catch. It wasn't a typo as much as it was a misplaced modifier. It has been duly corrected.

Thanks to everyone for reading. Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Second Day... Suspicions

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The following morning, Vlad came outside to sit in the courtyard to study the people coming in and out of the valley. Sitting by a fountain, he watched the humans and elves passing him. A large number of elves tended to give him a wide berth for some odd reason. Even their horses seemed nervous, which seriously disturbed Vlad.

The majority of the humans he saw had black hair down to their shoulders. These were mostly clean-shaven, those who looked old enough to do so. There were also a small number of shorter men, who wore full beards, and had deep, rumbling voices. These, like the ones he'd seen on his way into the valley, wore heavy chain mail, and carried large battleaxes when they initially arrived or were on their way out. Those who had settled in had their beards braided and their long hair unbound, and they wore no mail.

Vlad was fascinated by the various interactions. The tall humans and the shorter men got along fairly well. The elves seemed to like the tall humans as well. But the elves and the shorter men were cool towards each other at best. At worst, their attitudes towards each other were frigid. What was going on here? He would have to ask Glorfindel later.

He noticed a group of children running out to the gardens and decided to follow them. As they played, Vlad caught sight of an archery field and saw a group of teenaged boys carrying bows nearly as tall as themselves. He decided to watch as they lined up fifty feet away from the line of targets. Elrond's sons soon arrived and the lesson began.

These boys, while close in age to Daniel, were taller and more muscular than the young halfa. They had clearly been training with weapons for a couple of years, already. Each boy took it in turns to draw his bow, nock an arrow, aim, and fire at a target. As each boy aimed, one of the twins would correct his stance or aim before ordering the release. Some still strained at holding the position for a long period of time. The rest of the class would cheer at each successful shot and jeer at a missed shot. These last usually garnered a withering glance or chiding lecture from one of the twins, which resulted in the boys looking rather chastened.

Watching the lesson, Vlad began to feel frustrated. He could have trained Daniel so well in all manners. He had come so close to it with the imperfect girl clone, but still... Daniel. Daniel had caused him a lot of trouble, but it was all still a waste.

He muttered to himself, "I could have done as well training Daniel to use his powers. He could have developed his powers faster and more efficiently than doing it alone has. So much potential, wasted. Unfortunately, the girl Danielle was the closest I was able to come to having Daniel as my son. Still, I think the boy could have been convinced to join me if I could only have found a way to convince him of just how much of an idiot his father is."

The twins had noticed Vlad's interest in the archery lesson, and Elrohir was not happy about it. He kept a close eye on him, not certain why he felt such a strong dislike for the man. His father had told him of Vlad's secret, but had not told him much else. Elrohir felt uncomfortable with Vlad's interest in the children, though his only reason was the strange sense of evil he'd been aware of since they'd met him.

Vlad started muttering to himself in that strange language, looking as though he was staring at a vision of something only he could see. Curious about this man, he asked his brother, "Elladan, can you take care of the rest of this lesson?" His twin noticed him looking at Vlad and nodded. Elrohir moved to the edge of the archery field to study Vlad. Elladan continued the lesson.

As Elrohir looked at the man, he considered what he knew of him. He was half-spirit, which his father had not explained. The elven twin didn't trust this man, especially around children. For some reason, Vlad being around children felt wrong. Aranarth's advisory council also appeared uneasy around him, especially his brothers and his general, Voronwë. There appeared to be a lot of tension arising from their meeting the previous afternoon.

Vlad noticed the disapproving glare and raised an eyebrow. The twin shook his head, but continued to glare at the man. Vlad simply shrugged his shoulders and left. This was something else he needed to ask Glorfindel about. The elves usually avoided him, giving him vague looks of distrust, but this twin actually seemed to strongly dislike him. Yet, he hadn't done anything to warrant such feelings.

* * *

At lunch, Vlad once again sat with Glorfindel. He asked, "Glorfindel, I'm curious: there were several groups of short, bearded men and they didn't seem to get along with any of the elves. Why is that?"

Glorfindel turned to look at him and answered, "They are not Men, Vlad. They are Dwarves, another Race of Middle-earth. Elves and Dwarves do not get along well. There have been several events that caused the relationship to cool, but the most recent occurred nearly four thousand years ago. Dwarves do not easily forgive, and neither do Elves. Rivendell will allow any to enter who have need, so we are still in contact with most of the Dwarven realms. Others are less willing to have any such contact." Glorfindel didn't go into detail.

Vlad could tell there was more to this story, but if Glorfindel wasn't willing to tell it, he probably wasn't going to get any farther with it. But Glorfindel's own cool attitude towards himself brought him to his next question. "There's something else I wanted to talk about. Why is it that most of the elves are avoiding me?"

Glorfindel's expression was unreadable. "Has anyone done aught to make you feel unwelcome?"

Vlad sighed. "Not exactly. But while I was watching an archery lesson this morning, one of Elrond's sons was watching me quite closely. I got the distinct impression he strongly disliked me."

Glorfindel considered his answer carefully. "Elves have a very close connection to the natural world. We have the ability to sense another being's nature in a way that is difficult to explain. In you, many of us feel a sense of danger of a kind we do not normally see in Men. This feeling of danger goes very deep, and some may see it as a warning against close association."

Disconcerted, Vlad shook his head. That explained some of it, but it still didn't explain why one of Elrond's sons would see such a problem with him watching the boys' archery lesson. He seriously seemed to dislike Vlad, though his twin seemed less bothered by the man's presence. Still, their being aware of the danger he posed as an evil half-ghost provided a reason for the elves' reluctance to be near him for very long. The billionaire was disturbed at the level of perception they possessed, but he could work around it.

The meeting with Aranarth and his council that afternoon made little progress. They were still having some difficulty with Vlad's battle plan. Glorfindel brought Elrond's opinion: that the plan was effective, but the Elves of Rivendell would recommend that traditional rules of engagement be followed. It would still work if the gap between the North Downs and the Weather Hills were left open for escape. Orcs rarely took the opportunity to escape, anyway. It was not their way to flee a battlefield. They fought until either they or their foe was dead.

Still, the council made no final decision. Prince Aranarth awaited the messenger bird from Lindon with the responses from Círdan and Prince Eärnur. The other men were divided as to whether Vlad's plan should be accepted in its entirety or altered to fit their own sense of fair play. All in all, it came close to degenerating into an argument again. Vlad left feeling annoyed and put out.

That night, Vlad had another session overshadowing Voronwë's dreams. The problems of convincing Aranarth to accept his battle plan had encouraged the halfa to proceed with his scheme of the evening before. It looked to be the only way he could get the prince to agree with him. Otherwise, it was all out the window, and he would have less of a chance to gain the prince's confidence.


	10. A Walk and Suspicions Confirmed

A/N: Once again, thanks to all the reviewers.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Yes, they do!

**Amazing Bluie**: The elves have no reason to hide anything at this point. However, they have decided that how they initially knew that Vlad was a half-ghost still isn't his business. That may change. I do apologize for the error in last chapter, and it has been rectified.

**Inukagome15**: Two reviews again! You get the cyber cookie for guessing the quote's location correctly. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. We had a ball when Miriam first came up with the idea of using it.

The general vocabulary of formal discussion is natural for us, as Miriam has been to graduate school to become an English teacher and I am nearly done with my undergraduate degree. Secondly, you can do wonders by simply cutting out contractions.

Sauron certainly does _not_ follow the code of honor of the _Dúnedain_ and Elves. Glorfindel's first life ended when Morgoth's forces didn't allow escape from the city of Gondolin, and Sauron is Morgoth's chief student and servant.

Dwarves stand between four and five feet tall. Tolkien's description may have been a little vague, but that is what I got, based on the fact that they are shorter than Men, but taller than Hobbits, who average between three and four feet in height.

It didn't seem credible to us for Elrohir to know English or be able to memorize what Vlad said in an unknown language after hearing it just once. It _did _take Elrond three nights and two days of intense study to learn English. The archery class is for children, so Vlad would not have been invited to participate, anyway.

It may surprise you, but even Vlad has morals. His base line is far lower than yours, mine, and most society, but he actually does have morals. You will have a chance to see his moral sensibilities later.

Thanks once again. And now, on with the chapter!

Chapter 10: A Walk and Suspicions Confirmed

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The next morning, Vlad decided to walk in the extensive gardens. It was a good way to avoid all of the people who didn't seem to like him, even though he hadn't _done_ anything yet. The grounds were quite large and well tended. Some reminded him of his home in Wisconsin. Beautiful gardens and fields of grain were planted to accommodate the lay of the land and the needs of the plants.

Various designs could be seen, each garden featuring a different layout. Flowers of all kinds could be seen in the flower gardens: roses, tulips, daisies, nasturtians, daffodils, and several varieties Vlad didn't recognize. He knew, of course, that he couldn't recognize all varieties, and this world likely had kinds unique to it. All the same, such strange flowers did catch the eye, and it was frustrating to not be able to identify the species.

Vegetable gardens could also be found. Beans, peppers, carrots, and others grew in abundance. Fruit trees grew here and there all over the place. Apple trees were the most common. Others included plum trees, small strawberry bushes, peach trees, and others. There were also fields of wheat, barley, and oats. Elves worked in these fields, tending the vegetable beds and fields and harvesting ripened fruits and vegetables.

A rather curious plant was growing in between the various gardens. It looked something like a weed, its leaves long and narrow, its scent refreshing, and no flowers bloomed to brighten its appearance. It bore no resemblance to any plant he knew of and Vlad was curious about finding such a humble plant in these bright gardens. Still, the scent was pleasing, and that was doubtlessly the reason it was selected to border the gardens.

Large numbers of people were enjoying the beautiful day. While Vlad was admiring a fountain in one of the gardens, he noticed a woman approaching him with a curious look on her face. She was tall with a regal bearing. Her long grey hair was pulled back in a thick braid down her back. She curtseyed to him in greeting, her curiosity plain in her keen grey eyes. Startled at first, Vlad recovered quickly, bowed in answer, took her hand, and kissed it.

The woman seemed surprised at this, but gave Vlad a pleased smile. Satisfied that his charm had won her over, he offered the lady his arm and she slid her hand in the crook of his elbow. The two walked through the various flower gardens, Vlad showing interest in the strange flowers. Sometimes, his companion would lead him to a particular flower bed containing a flower she thought he would like. All in all, it was a pleasant end to the morning walk.

They were on their way back to the house, when Vlad caught sight of Glorfindel. The elf had seen them and came over. For some reason, Glorfindel seemed vaguely amused by the presence of Vlad's companion. The elf nodded politely to the lady and greeted her. Afterwards, he turned to Vlad. "How was your walk in the gardens this morning?"

Vlad smiled. "I enjoyed it very much. The gardens are beautiful, well-kept, and full of many interesting plants. I was reminded several times of my home in Wisconsin." He turned to the woman beside him. "On the way back, I was greeted by this lovely lady."

Glorfindel's amusement was clear now. "I see you have met the venerable Lassiel."

Puzzled at the word Glorfindel used to describe the lady, Vlad answered, "Yes. She was delightful company. After a fair stroll through this exquisitely tended valley, meeting her just gave the perfect morning a glorious crown."

The blond elf smiled. "Lassiel is very well thought of. She is a great-grandmother."

Vlad's eyes widened. "How could she be? She looks only as old as I am."

Glorfindel's smile broadened. "Vlad, she is 136 years old. How old are you?"

Vlad's cheeks colored. "I'm forty-two years old."

Seeing the man's red face, Glorfindel tried to ease his embarrassment. "But I am glad you had a lovely time with a lovely woman."

Vlad looked at him, suddenly curious. "May I ask how old _you _are?"

Glorfindel's expression showed barely concealed mirth. "Gladly. I am over 9000 years old, give or take a few decades."

Vlad didn't know what to say about this.

Glorfindel was amused by Vlad's expression of surprise and disbelief. "I remind you that Elves live far longer than humans. And I am quite a bit older than Elrond." Vlad nodded, still unnerved, bowed once more to the lady, and headed inside.

Once he was alone, Vlad was able to think over the conversation with Glorfindel. "If I were of a religious bent, I would have to say that karma has come to roost for all the times I tormented that boy. It seems to be coming in spades today." In spite of this, he still enjoyed his time with the woman. She was indeed delightful company, considering neither one could understand the other.

* * *

That afternoon, Aranarth brought responses that had come by messenger birds from the Halflings of the Shire and the Elves of the Wandering Companies. The Halflings offered no opinion, but reassured the "Big People" present that they would offer their fifty best archers. Twelve messenger birds came back from the Wandering Companies of Elves, who all strongly agreed with Elrond's sentiment.

This last was reported by Voronwë. Aratan turned to the council and said, "It seems to be the majority opinion that Vlad's plan is, indeed, brilliant and extraordinarily thorough. But, the majority is also of the mind that a lack of a path of retreat is too cruel. Let us go with the majority of Vlad's plan, leaving a path of escape towards Angmar."

Glorfindel nodded with approval as he translated for Vlad. The strategist's proponents looked grim, but nodded their acceptance. Vlad clucked his tongue and muttered, "Very well." I guess tonight will be the last chance I have to make a difference in the general's mind.

Glorfindel took note of Vlad's expression as he narrowed his eyes in concentration. 'I'd better keep a closer eye on him tonight. I do not like the hungry look in his eye.' the elf thought.

The meeting broke up, and later that night, Vlad once again overshadowed the general's dreams. He quickly realized that he would not be able to do as he had planned. Vlad did not know enough Westron to speak as smoothly as he did in English. He would just have to accept the decision of the council. This was a bitter pill to swallow for Vlad.

He returned to his room, reverted to human again, and suddenly turned to see a fuming Glorfindel emerge from the shadows shrouding the area behind the door. His eyes were blazing, his body glowing brightly and superimposed over him was a shining white figure that moved as he moved.

* * *

Glorfindel had gone to Vlad's room to speak with him privately about the council meeting. He had arrived to find the room empty and left immediately to search for him. The blond elf conducted his search mainly by seeking the sense of Vlad's spirit presence. He found it in Voronwë's room.

When the knock on the door elicited no response, Glorfindel opened the door slightly. The general was asleep, but Vlad's spirit presence was quite strong. The blond elf was furious when he realized that Vlad was overshadowing the sleeping _Dúnadan_. Glorfindel remembered what Elrond had told him about human overshadowing when he met Danny. They were immediate and total, but they were also temporary. He turned on his heel and went back to Vlad's room, where he concealed himself in the shadows behind the door.

As predicted, Vlad returned, phasing through the wall. Even through his anger, he noticed the details of Vlad's ghost form. He had blue skin, glowing red eyes, and fangs! In place of his normal white hair in a ponytail, his hair was black, and formed into what appeared to be horns. Wearing white breeches, an almost familiar styled white tunic, and a sinister white cape with a red underside, Vlad cut the form of as evil a creature as Glorfindel sensed him to be.

Vlad landed on the floor, and two black rings appeared around his waist. They moved in opposite directions, changing the man back to his normal human appearance. Glorfindel stepped out from behind the door, revealing his presence to a surprised, and vaguely shocked, half-ghost.

Glowering and glowing, Glorfindel said dangerously, "Vlad Masters, I knew you were not to be trusted. A spirit has not tried to take over a living being near, and among, Elves since the Houseless attack Danny saved us from thousands of years ago. He said it was different, Houseless taking over Elves and," he paused, "ghosts taking over humans. But what you did was undeniably vile. You invaded the body and mind of a human powerless to stop you. At least an elf could attempt to fight back."

Vlad took a step back as the elf's eyes glowed a color he wasn't sure he could actually describe. He trembled a bit, noticing the power radiating from the furious elf. "How did you know?" Vlad asked simply. He was in trouble, and he didn't know how to play this yet.

"You had a suspicious look in your eyes towards the end of the meeting," Glorfindel accused. "I came to your room to discuss privately whatever was troubling you. When you were not in your room, I sought out your spirit presence. It led me to the general's door. When I knocked and heard no conversation, I was afraid I knew what I would see. And I was right. Your spirit presence was _inside _Voronwë.

"You will come with me to Elrond immediately. Do not try to avoid me by turning intangible, as I know you can. It will be worse for you if you do."

Vlad's eyes went wide with the discovery of a creature that seemed to have a ghost sense that wasn't a half-ghost. He had nothing to say. His intentions for overshadowing the general were, indeed, to be as manipulative and controlling as accused. He was unsettled by the casual mention of his ghostly powers and how 'it would be worse for him' if he used them. He was sure they didn't have any Fenton or his own anti-ghost products, but the certainty of the elf of the ability for him to be harmed scared him.

He remembered his first encounter with an angry Elrond who saw through the web of deceit he was about to lay before he had planned it! Life was a game of chess, and he had just lost. Hanging his head in defeat, he allowed Glorfindel to handle him roughly as he was brought to the elven lord of this realm.

* * *

Elrond was in his study, working late. His wife, Celebrìan, had gone to bed some time ago, but the half-elf had a lot of paperwork to deal with. He looked up from the document he was perusing at the sound of footsteps out in the hall. One set belonged to an elf, walking unusually loudly, and the second set belonged to a human, half stumbling to keep up with the rapid footsteps of the elf.

The loud knock on the door told him why someone would be on this corridor so late. "Come in." The door swung open, banging into the wall behind it, to reveal Glorfindel and Vlad. Elrond's friend dragged the man roughly into the room, eyes blazing in anger. The blond elf's _fëa _was shining brightly from the intensity of his rage. What was going on here? Vlad wasn't even resisting the rough treatment, but looked as though he felt he deserved to be treated this way.

Glorfindel closed the study door and turned to the seated elf lord. "My apologies for interrupting," he said in Sindarin, "but this cannot wait. This man," the blond elf gestured to Vlad, "invaded the body of Voronwë. I went to speak with Vlad about the council meeting and discovered his spirit presence in the general's room."

Elrond turned to Vlad and demanded, "What were you doing in the general's room?"

Vlad felt the power emanating from the two beings in front of him, and he trembled in fear of retribution. Even though he did not understand the language they spoke, he was sure that Glorfindel told Elrond of his overshadowing of the general. "Guilty as charged," he said quietly.

Elrond understood his friend's anger. He himself was furious at this man for doing something so vile. He still remembered the Houseless attack so many years ago. That a Man would do such a thing, for any reason, was frightening. He stood, his own eyes beginning to glow in fury. "From your first utterance about Danny blasting you through that portal," Elrond said, "you gave us cause for suspicion against you. But you were a man in need, and Rivendell is a haven for all who are in need.

"Your spirit presence marked you as a half-ghost, which was not a problem in and of itself. But _you_ radiated a menacing presence of evil. Despite our better judgment, we gave you the benefit of the doubt. By your abuse of your power to take over a Man, you have proven the unworthiness we suspected you had.

"As a place of refuge, this valley is always open. But as a place to visit as a guest, your welcome has officially run out. If you value your safety, you will depart this place after dawn. You will be woken and given provisions. This audience is at an end."

Elrond spoke with such finality that the Power behind his words shone forth. Further, Vlad felt a sense of danger, as if the valley itself would back up the elf. Vlad hung his head in acceptance of his sentence. The elf had been more than fair, and far more kind than he ever would have been. Glorfindel escorted him back to his room, and stood guard for the remainder of the night.

A/N: The lady, Lassiel, is an original character. Her name comes from genuine Sindarin name elements.

The sweet-smelling, weed-looking plant that was used as borders all over the gardens and fields were _athelas_, which is also known as kingsfoil. It can be used like a primitive aspirin, but the Elves and kings of the _Dúnedain_ can use it in healing for far more serious physical and spiritual ailments.


	11. Exile and An Unexpected Encounter

A/N: Thanks to the reviewers. Hope all the readers are enjoying this story.

**Ghostking666**: I'm glad you like the garden scene, and I'm glad you like the idea that Glorfindel saw through his tricks and he lost.

However, Vlad being on his own is not the danger you seem to think it is. While it's true that Vlad could do a lot of damage with pure brute strength, the fact is that Vlad is an intellectual. A simple show of strength without a specific psychological component would give Vlad no satisfaction. It wouldn't be worth his while.

Also, please remember: Vlad may be an evil fruit loop, but he still is human. The only two people in this weird world who could speak English have thoroughly rejected and exiled him. As a purely human response, Vlad is going to be depressed because of his loss. Thanks for the comment, though.

As for the update of "Vent", Miriam is working on it.

**Amazing Bluie**: It is indeed an intense moment. A lot of people have a tendency to only think of Vlad as a villain. Those people sometimes forget that our villainous half-ghost is also half-human. Vlad rarely feels humbled by anything. But an angry elf is not a pretty sight. And he knows that he was caught red-handed. What's going to happen to him? He's going to go into exile and be forced to think about what he did. More than that would be telling...

**Inukagome15**: Yeah. So would I.

The description of Glorfindel when he was angry came from _Fellowship of the Ring_. It was what Frodo saw when Glorfindel confronted the Witch-king at the Ford of Rivendell when Frodo was on the verge of fading. Vlad's glimpse is based on the fact that he is hovering between the physical and spiritual worlds, so I guessed that he would see both of Glorfindel's sides.

I watched the animated movies, too, because I AM a nerd. I didn't like the animated movies, because they were poorly done. I believe Tolkien intended for Elves to be beardless, except for Lord Círdan. We don't know why he does, but Tolkien gave him a beard.

Yes, Vlad put his foot in it. You will see soon what will happen.

And now, on with the chapter...

Chapter 11: Exile and an Unexpected Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The next day, an hour after dawn, Vlad was roused by a knock on his door. He noticed that this knock did not bear the strength of wrathful anger, so he knew that he was being dealt with by someone other than the two English-speaking elves. When he opened the door, the elf that greeted him nodded and handed him a rather large backpack. He was invited to inspect the contents.

Inside the pack were a blanket, a spare set of clothes, flint and tinder, and enough food and water for traveling rations for three days. On the outside of the pack, a bedroll was attached. Vlad reloaded the pack and nodded gratefully at the elf who handed it to him. This new elf escorted him out of the house, to the bridge crossing the river to the South of the house.

Vlad crossed the bridge and headed down the path, marked with white stones, to the ford. Once over the ford, that over-arching sense of danger he felt since his last audience with Elrond seemed to pass.

He followed the road West for about an hour before he decided to stop and break for breakfast. He thought about the circumstances that brought him to where he was. The council had agreed with him, mostly. Everyone involved had agreed on his brilliance and thoroughness. Was that one detail about that escape route worth the trouble? With one rash decision, made for no purpose but to fuel his own ambition, he lost access to the only two people in this accursed world that he could talk to!

He thought about who he could blame for his powerlessness at this moment. He couldn't blame the council; for the most part, they agreed with him. He couldn't blame the general; he had no knowledge of his being overshadowed. He couldn't even blame the elves who put him in exile. He _had_ overshadowed a human, as he had done so many times at home. But this time, he was caught.

He wasn't sure why the elves reacted so strongly. But he admitted to himself that the overshadowing was, indeed, an invasion of the human target's body and mind. There was no one left to blame but himself. He strapped his pack on his back, transformed into Plasmius and, consumed with bitterness and anger at himself, he flew Westward as fast as he could go to burn off some of his guilt.

Vlad had been flying for a while. He didn't know how long, as he'd lost track of time. There was no one on the road, but the Sun had been climbing higher as he flew. He began to tire, flying so fast for so long while maintaining his ghost form. Even with his extensive training, he realized he still had limits to how long he could use his powers before needing to rest.

He landed in an open field within sight of a large city. Seeing no one for miles, he turned back into his human form, took off his pack, and sat down in the grass. He had been sitting there for 15 minutes when his ghost sense went off.

As with Glorfindel, this was different from his usual ghost sense. In fact, it wasn't even like what he sensed with the blond elf. If anything, it felt like the exact opposite. That made no sense to Vlad, but he looked around for whatever had set it off. It had to be close.

All Vlad saw was a tall rider in black robes on a black horse. The figure rode towards him and the halfa realized that this mysterious rider was what had set off his ghost sense. As the figure neared, Vlad saw something peculiar. Under the black robes, the figure wore long grey robes. His white face had keen, merciless eyes. He wore a silver helm on his long, grey hair, and on the helm, was a crown.

The rider slowed up, peered at Vlad, and sniffed the air, puzzled. He drew up rein just a few feet from the man, who stood as the rider approached. Vlad felt a strange desire to get as far away as possible from this rider as soon as he could. He didn't know why he felt so frightened, so he held his ground. It took a great deal of willpower to resist the urge to flee. Vlad looked up at the rider, trying to figure out why he felt this way.

"You stay. In spite of your fear, you stay. It is unusual for any to be so brave, yet foolish." The rider spoke in a strange accent, lacking the usual ghostly echo. But there was an undercurrent of malevolence in the way he spoke. "You are a spirit, yet you smell human. Why?"

Vlad started, surprised at this. "I... I..." For once, he was at a loss for words.

"Who are you? And why have you entered the realm of Angmar?" The rider was eager for answers, and continued to sniff the air as he glared at Vlad.

Vlad's fear seemed to increase under the intensity of the rider's gaze. "My name is Vlad. I came here completely by accident. And... I'm half-ghost." It was out before he could stop himself. This rider was powerful, and had compelled the truth through the man's own fear. The last time he had felt this way was when he'd accidentally woken Pariah Dark. "Why... why am I so afraid?" He asked, almost to himself.

The rider smiled evilly. "All who approach me flee in fear."

Vlad now began to understand the Elves a little better. The dark, menacing feeling that they said they had around him must be comparable to the dark, evil feeling that he got from the being before him. As Vlad himself was evil, this feeling took evil to a whole new level.

He fought the feeling to satisfy his curiosity. "Who and what are you?" he asked, with his normal confidence in his voice, which was far more than he felt.

This question seemed to puzzle the rider. "How is it that a human or spirit does not know who, or what, I am? I am the Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgûl."

Vlad asked, "What is a Nazgûl?"

Indignantly, the Witch-king retorted, "You foolish, ignorant human! The Nazgûl are the most trusted servants of the Dark Lord, and I am chief among them."

Vlad felt himself shiver, despite himself, his strength leaving him. "What are you doing to me?"

"I know not if you are mortal or spirit, but as a mortal, you have withstood my presence in consciousness for far longer than any other. I will leave you to your doom." With that, the Witch-king turned his horse around and left.

Vlad fell to his knees as weakness overcame him. "Got... to get... help." He gasped. He closed his eyes, and with his last remaining strength, he went ghost, evaporated, and teleported to Rivendell, in the courtyard before the Last Homely House. He collapsed, losing consciousness, and reverted to human.

* * *

After dawn: From a distance, Glorfindel watched Vlad leave. Once Vlad got to the opposite side of the Ford, the whole valley felt safer for his absence. He noted the direction in which the half-ghost took off. Filled with anger caused by the treachery perpetrated by that man, Glorfindel decided to prepare a horse for a ride in the opposite direction. He needed to still his anger and come back to himself. He reflected on the events of a few millennia ago. Danny had saved them from the Houseless. Vlad had, ironically, made the same attack that Danny had saved the Elves from.

Hours later, Glorfindel returned, riding back into the courtyard. The long ride had helped to clear his head, and he was now ready to return to work. He halted at the sudden sense of a familiar presence. Looking around the courtyard, he saw Vlad lying on the ground, unmoving.

Swiftly dismounting, he ran to the man's side and checked his pulse. It was weak. He turned Vlad over onto his back and checked for injury. He was surprised to find none. He picked up the unconscious man and carried him to the Halls of Healing. Elrond would need to deal with this directly.

In the Halls of Healing, he sent one of the healers to find Lord Elrond. Then, Glorfindel lay his burden on one of the empty beds. Vlad began to become restless, distress plain on his face. The man was clearly agitated for some reason. But there was nothing to explain this agitation. "No. Daniel! I told you not to harm him, Skulker!" He was distressed, yet angry. Silence filled the room for ten minutes, and then Vlad became agitated again.

Elrond came in just then. At the sight of the agitated man on the bed, he rushed over and lay a hand on Vlad's forehead. He closed his eyes in concentration for several seconds. When he opened them again, the half-elf turned to Glorfindel. "It is the Black Breath. Where did you find him?"

"In the courtyard," the blond elf answered. "I went for a ride and he was there on my return." He looked at Vlad. "He cannot have been there long. No one else was there when I arrived, but many people go through the courtyard at all times. Someone would have seen him arrive."

The sound of Vlad's voice interrupted the conversation. "Blast it! They've gotten too good! Where have you put Daniel? What have you done to him? Yes... That was months ago. But now, you are far more competent. And I want to know what you've _done_ with him! What do you mean: 'lots and lots of painful experiments'?!"

Elrond's eyes flashed in horror as he heard Danny's words of terror echoed in pain and confusion in Vlad's voice. It hadn't escaped his attention that it sounded like Vlad had sent this set of antagonists against young Danny. But it was clear that even this warped individual had not intended the unconscionable harm they planned.

Another twenty minutes passed in silence. Vlad's skin began getting cold, and his cries started getting quiet. "I know I sent them, but I didn't mean..." and the silence of the Black Breath overtook him.

Glorfindel and Elrond looked at each other in shock. Vlad was an incredibly complex and horrifically warped person. He seemed to have an immensely intense connection to the younger half-ghost. Inwardly seething at the idea that this man had no qualms about causing pain, anguish, and humiliation to the boy, the elves could not help but notice the pain in Vlad's voice when whatever dark scheme Vlad cooked up had gone farther than even he intended.

Elrond closed his eyes. "Get the _athelas_." he commanded. A healer, amazed and confused by the display of the patient and the two elf lords attending him, escaped the room of her puzzlement and ran to collect that which Elrond required.

* * *

Glossary

Nazgûl (Black Speech- Ringwraith)- Nine Men enslaved by Rings of Power, they are the chief servants of Sauron, the Dark Lord. They are wraiths, only visible on the physical plane by wearing robes to give them shape. They carry an aura of fear, which is strongest at night and when they move about unclad.

_Athelas _(S. Kingsfoil)- a healing plant used mainly by the Númenóreans. It has a heartening fragrance, and in the hands of the kings of Númenor it has great healing power. It is the only known cure for the Black Breath, unusable by any human but the King. Elves are also able to use its power.


	12. Nightmares

A/N: More reviews! Thanks to our loyal readers.

**Inukagome15**: Yes, the second is closest, though Elves don't actually age, so even that isn't entirely accurate either.

Yes, this is well before _The Lord of the Rings_. Over a thousand years before.

Gandalf is around, but he is elsewhere in Middle-earth. Vlad won't meet him.

The vision of the Witch-king's face comes from when Frodo saw him while wearing the Ring. We determined that Vlad would see it too, because he is between the spiritual and physical worlds. Being a half-ghost, he could see what the Witch-king looks like in the spiritual world. No other human would be able to see it, except for Danny.

Even in desperate straits, Vlad has a good head about him.

It _is_ a complicated relationship.

I hope you enjoy the movies. I liked them a lot.

**Amazing Bluie**: First, they're going to nurse him back to health. After that, you will have to wait and see.

Author's Note by Miriam1: The Jewish High Holidays are over, but there is one more coming up: Sukkot, and the final holiday Shmini Atzeret. I am going away for the nine days plus a day before and after, and won't have access to upload the next chapter until I return. I hope you enjoy this chapter, as it will be the last for a while.

Now, for the new chapter.

This chapter contains graphic dreams. The scenes described are inspired by actual episodes of the _Danny Phantom_ series. They didn't actually happen, however. They are all in Vlad's mind, and are our interpretation of what would happen if any of Vlad's schemes had succeeded. It is very angst-ridden, and may be disturbing for some people.

Chapter 12: Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

Doom. The last of the conversation escaped him, but Vlad remembered 'doom'. Vlad shivered as a feeling overcame him, like the Fright Knight's Soul Shredder. But it was worse. Infinitely worse. His worst fears had come to life. They were not a reflection of his failures, but a careful analysis of what _could_ have happened if he succeeded.

The first image to erupt, unbidden in his mind, was a memory of Daniel, tricked into entering his lab on the pretext of retrieving a gift intended for his father. After his lackey, Skulker (who also happened to be the greatest hunter of the Ghost Zone), trapped Danny in the Spectral Energy Neutralizer, Skulker flaunted his new blade. Vlad entered the room one second too late! Wanting the boy for his _own_ prize, he slit Danny's throat while he was trapped in his human form. Vlad screamed, "No. Daniel! I told you not to harm him, Skulker!"

Skulker merely shrugged. "He was my prey. And I _always _get my prey." The ghost's cavalier attitude towards the boy's life was chilling, to say the least. How could he have risked Daniel's life so by hiring a hunter to catch him?

The scene shifted, and a new memory assaulted him. The Guys in White were merely an inept new branch of the government, designed to capture and study ghosts. Torturing them was an added bonus. But when he put the Guys in White on Danny's trail with a million-dollar bounty, he knew they would only be a distraction. Several months and upgrades later, they actually had the capability of doing serious damage.

While sitting behind his desk as mayor of Amity Park, his secretary announced the arrival of two federal agents who had come to claim a million-dollar reward. "Blast it! They've gotten too good!" Once Guys in White operatives O and K entered the office and faced him from the other side of his desk, Vlad demanded, "Where have you put Daniel? What have you done to him?"

Operative K asked, "Why do you care? You told us to defeat him and bring him down. And we have."

Vlad placed his hand on his forehead and said through his teeth, "Yes... That was months ago. But now, you are far more competent. And I want to know what you've _done_ with him!"

Operative O smirked. "Ah. We've discovered that the subject is a half-ghost. And we have lots and lots of painful experiments that we are in the process of performing."

Vlad exploded, "What do you mean: 'lots and lots of painful experiments'?!"

The two operatives merely chuckled, and O said, "That, Mayor Masters, is classified information."

Vlad shivered as he saw his own plans turn against him. These were things he had never intended to happen, despite what he may have said at the moment. The next vision was a memory of using the Plasmius Maximus on Daniel in his Colorado hunting chalet. And his command to his dangerous ghostly animal experiments to get Danny. "Five minutes, five seconds. Oh, apparently _I'm_ bad at math, too." He sighed with satisfaction as Danny fled, screaming, into the woods, chased by his ghostly, mutant monstrosities.

Fifteen minutes passed, and there was a knock on his door. There stood Maddie Fenton, hood and goggles off, tears streaming down her face. "Vlad..." she sobbed. "It was awful. Mutant monster ghosts attacked Danny! I... I was just a moment too late! A green bear with four eyes tore him to shreds! I destroyed them all." she spat angrily. "But my baby, my baby boy..." She buried her face in her hands, and wept bitter tears.

Vlad's eyes widened. 'It worked? They succeeded?' He hugged the hysterical woman, in shock himself. He _had_ given the cruel order, but he never expected... He muttered under his breath, "I know I sent them, but I didn't mean..." He meant to frighten the boy, not to kill him. He closed his eyes. He had successfully destroyed the only other half-ghost in existence.

When he opened his eyes, he watched from outside a human/ghost shield as Daniel, in his ghost form, battled his sister Jasmine, in the Ecto-Skeleton. He had commanded her to destroy him. He watched with glee as both fought valiantly, but one final blow from Jazz landed Danny on his back. Jasmine stopped and dropped to her knees to inspect her brother. She trembled, which was apparent even inside the suit. Tears flowed as she realized what she had done. Vlad frowned as he turned off the shield and walked onto the football field, which doubled as the gladiatorial arena.

He approached the siblings. At his presence, Jazz turned to him and shrieked, "Are you happy, Uncle Vlad?! Is _this_ what you wanted?!" He stared at Danny's lifeless form. He _had_ commanded Jasmine to do this very thing. And now that he had it, he realized how very much he _didn't_ want it. While it _had _pleased him that one of the Fenton children spoke of considering him an adopted father, the one he had truly wanted lay dead in the middle of his football field. By _his_ command. No, he decided, this isn't what he wanted.

The football field disappeared, and he was in Pariah Dark's Keep. Daniel, using the Ecto-Skeleton, had _single-handedly_ defeated the Ghost King, closing him into the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. Vlad took the Skeleton Key, locking the Ghost King into oblivion. "I don't understand..." Danny said, confusedly.

Vlad scoffed. "What? That I used two fourteen year old pawns to turn a knight and topple a king? It's chess, Daniel. Of course you don't understand. But then, you never really did." Daniel lost consciousness. It _had_ been a horrendous battle. The suit sapped him of his energy. And against impossible odds, Daniel won. He defeated the Ghost King. Phasing the unconscious boy out of the ecto-suit, Vlad gently carried the hero of all things ghostly, and of Amity Park, and brought him home. He just needed to rest. He was sure of it. That's all _Jack_ needed. And Jack recovered nicely, much to Vlad's disappointment.

Using the excuse that he "found" Daniel by a dumpster, he tenderly placed the unconscious boy in his bed. Maddie insisted that a doctor be called to examine Daniel. Vlad used his considerable influence to get the best available. Then he turned to Jack. "How long did it take you to recover, Jack?"

Danny's father shook his head. "It's been a few days, and I'm still not right. But don't you worry, V-man! I will be soon."

Both men and Maddie's attention were drawn by the sound of Danny's labored breathing. "Danny!" Maddie cried, grasping her son's hand. But he didn't wake up. The adults watched and listened helplessly as the pained breathing became more shallow. And then it ceased.

Simultaneously, Maddie and Vlad screamed, "NOOOOO!!" Maddie buried herself in Jack's arms. He was no less distraught, but he had to be strong for her. Vlad sank to his knees, grasping Danny's hands, sobbing uncontrollably. He lost the only person in the world who could truly understand him, as a fellow half-ghost. _And this time, it wasn't even his fault_! He trembled, turning colder. He felt himself losing his will to live.

Sudden warmth infused him, and he looked up. A strange, blue vortex formed in the corner of Daniel's room. A figure stepped out, holding out a hand to Vlad. As it moved closer, the figure coalesced into Elrond. The dark-haired elf's grey eyes were glowing with the strength of released power. Vlad was surprised at the compassion he saw in those eyes, and took the proffered hand.

The moment their hands touched, Vlad became aware of a scent filling the room: jasmine from one of the gardens surrounding his mansion in Wisconsin. He used to bring Maddie jasmine during their college days. It represented love, friendship, and oddly enough, trust. Because the three of them, Vlad, Jack, and Maddie, trusted that they would always be there for each other.

Vlad followed Elrond through the blue vortex. It seemed to go on forever. At some point, Elrond left him, and he entered a peaceful, restful sleep.


	13. Recovery

A/N: Cyber cookies to inukagome15 for being the only one to review last chapter. And a cup of cyber chocolate milk for such an excellent review!

I'm glad you liked what we did with the chapter. Your analysis of Vlad's dreams is what we were thinking of when we created them. Except that we kind of saw the GIW becoming far more competent by season three than they were in season one. Still idiots compared to the ghosts Danny fought, but competent.

I don't know about Miriam, but I wasn't thinking of a Halloween theme when this chapter was being written. It was mostly about what Vlad's worst nightmare would be translated into, based on the kinds of things he's had to deal with. And his life has had plenty of horrors in it, many sponsored by himself.

I hope all of our readers are still enjoying the fic. And now...

Chapter 13: Recovery

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

Elrond was exhausted by the effort of bringing Vlad back. His own strength had not been enough to pull back a man who was already half-dead to begin with. Even as the crushed leaves of _athelas_ were placed in a bowl of hot water, releasing the scent of jasmine into the room, the half-elf began to draw on another source of power available to him: Vilya, the Ring of Air, given to him by Gil-galad during the War of the Last Alliance.

He used its full power only rarely, but he deemed it necessary to use it now. Vlad would die if he didn't, and Elrond's foresight told him that the man's destiny would lead him to important decisions that had to be made. Using Vilya, Elrond finally delved deep enough into Vlad's mind to locate him. He knelt, sobbing, beside a bed, where Danny lay motionless. A slender woman wept in the arms of a large man, both wearing skin-tight clothing of a strange material like the clothes Danny wore in his ghost form.

Elrond sensed Vlad's despair and, using his considerable power, infused the man's spirit with the energy he needed to come back. Vlad looked up and watched him emerge from the swirling blue vortex, hand outstretched. Taking the elf's hand, the man stood up and followed him out of the nightmare. Normally, he would have taken Vlad back all the way to full consciousness, but the man was far too weak and needed to rest. Therefore, he helped to bring Vlad to a dreamless, healing sleep.

As he came out of the trance, Elrond swayed slightly. Glorfindel, seated nearby, steadied him and helped him to another bed nearby. The half-elf fell asleep quickly, the effort of going into such a deep trance having drained him. He slept deeply for eight hours. When he woke, Vlad was still asleep, the man's spirit recovering slowly from the Nazgûl's fell influence.

Over the next two days, Vlad's vital signs slowly grew stronger. On the evening of the second day, Vlad finally stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "Daniel... Is Daniel alright?" His fear could be seen in his eyes as he sought to confirm the boy's status.

Elrond had left the room several minutes earlier, so Glorfindel was alone with the man. "Yes," the ancient elf confirmed, "Danny is fine." The quiet compassion in Glorfindel's voice soothed Vlad, and he closed his eyes in relief. He reopened them five minutes later, as Elrond came in, and struggled to sit up. Vlad's attempts were aborted by his own weakness and Glorfindel placing a gentle, restraining hand on his shoulder.

Elrond pulled up a chair and sat down next to Glorfindel. "I am glad you are finally awake, Vlad. It was extremely difficult bringing you back. You are the only victim of this attack who was already, in essence, half-dead. How did you meet one of the Nazgûl?"

Vlad was surprised at the question. "About an hour out, I decided to fly, and I ended up near a large city. A rider in black approached me, and we spoke for about ten minutes." Elrond's eyebrows rose at this, as did Glorfindel's. "He called himself the Witch-king, but he was definitely not human."

Elrond nodded. "At one time, he _was_ human. He is one no longer, though he never died."

Vlad frowned. "What exactly did he do to me? All I got out of our talk was that most people are too scared to stay near him for long."

Elrond gave him a calculated look. "The Nazgûl exude an aura of fear that causes nearly all to flee at their approach. Those that can withstand it fall prey to their most devastating attack: the Black Breath, which is the name we give the fell influence of the Nazgûl. It results in despair, unconsciousness, evil dreams and, after extended exposure, death. There is only one treatment, which few can administer."

Vlad now realized what a close shave he'd had this time. He was lucky he'd thought to come here before he'd lost too much energy to teleport. Now, he understood why the Witch-king had spoken of doom. He knew what effect his presence had on others. Vlad remembered something else now. "How did you know who had attacked me?"

Elrond sighed. "Only the Nazgûl have the Black Breath. Any who fall prey to it have faced one of the Nazgûl. The city you came to must have been Fornost. The Witch-king is known to be residing there since it was taken last winter."

* * *

Vlad stayed in the Halls of Healing for the next three days. He was alone most of the time, so he had plenty of time to think. His thoughts were mostly on the frightening nightmares he'd had. Messing about with dreams by ghosts was nothing new to him. Nocturne forced his victims to experience their favorite daydream, and thereby feed on the dream energy. But those were good dreams. The Fright Knight's Soul Shredder, on the other hand, was all about nightmares. The Soul Shredder worked on the same general principle as the Black Breath, but the Black Breath was worse. Far worse. Whereas the Soul Shredder brought one to their worst fears, this Black Breath seemed to start a person in the same place, and then escalated by showing a person HOW they got there. It didn't seem possible that a person's already-worst nightmare could somehow get even worse, but that is what this Black Breath did.

The Witch-king had utilized Vlad's own memories, and changed the events to end in the worst possible result. No ghost Vlad had heard of could do something similar. Of course, the Witch-king wasn't a ghost; he was a living spirit with unnatural abilities. This was beyond Vlad's experience, and it left him feeling out of his depth. He was used to being the most powerful ghost around, and for him to be beaten by a non-ghost using his own memories and fears disturbed and unsettled him.

The dreams had shaken Vlad more than he cared to admit. He had been forced to face losing Daniel under circumstances resulting from his own choices. In every case except the incident with the Ghost King, the boy could have died or suffered horrifically because of him. Vlad was not a man to second-guess his decisions, but those dreams left him reconsidering everything he had ever done in regards to Daniel. Could he have gone overboard in his earlier attempts to convince Daniel to join him?

Vlad wasn't sure. All he knew was that he had made bad choices, and that he had been lucky the boy had lived through the consequences. He didn't know that this would change his future decisions, but he began to appreciate that he would not always like what the results of those choices would be. He had never imagined that he would ever have to face the results of a bad choice. He had never considered any of his choices to be bad. Now, he wasn't so sure of that. Especially since Elrond kicked him out a few days ago for crossing a line of unacceptable behavior.

* * *

Glossary

Vilya (Q. Air, sky)- the most powerful of the Elven Rings of Power. One of the Three forged by the elven-smith, Celebrimbor. The band was gold, and the stone in its setting was a sapphire.

Gil-galad (S. Star of radiance)- last High King of the Noldorin, a tribe of Elves from the Undying Lands. His birth name was Ereinion, meaning 'scion of kings'. He died at the end of the Second Age.

Fright Knight- the spirit of Halloween. He served Pariah Dark during his tyrannical rule.

Soul Shredder- the Fright Knight's sword. One cut with this blade sends the victim into their worst nightmare. Thrusting the sword into a pumpkin is the only way to defeat the Fright Knight.


	14. Discovery

A/N: Another chapter up! And more reviews! Just one to respond to, but cookies to all of you.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Yes, the Morgul-blade would have been nasty, and might actually have been the end of Vlad. Black Breath was bad enough.

Vlad might not have been aware of Nocturne's attack on him (or the rest of Amity Park), but he would know about all of the powerful ghosts as a matter of course.

And now, on with the story...

Chapter 14: Discovery

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

While Vlad was recuperating, the elves and _Dúnedain_ were preparing for war. Swords and daggers were cleaned and sharpened, arrows were fletched, and armor was polished. Every available warrior was making sure equipment would be ready whenever the message came. The Wandering Companies drifted in to swell the numbers of warriors. Healers gathered healing herbs, splints, bandages, stretchers, and blankets to bring for the wounded they would certainly be treating on the battlefield.

The fourth morning after Vlad first woke up, Elrond allowed Vlad to leave the Halls of Healing. The elf was surprised he had recovered so quickly from the effects of the Black Breath. Not knowing much about it, Vlad couldn't explain his swift recovery either. Not that he had thought about it; being a half-ghost for over twenty years, he was used to healing quickly from injuries of all sorts.

Since he didn't want to push himself so soon after his recovery, Vlad decided to just relax inside today. Even though he couldn't really read any of the books, he went to the library and scanned the hundreds of books on the shelves. Nearly all were leather-bound volumes of immense antiquity. Vlad pulled one off the shelf, sat down, and began leafing through the parchment pages.

This book had illustrations scattered throughout, in full color, that showed battles and trysts between handsome young men and beautiful women. The picture that caught his attention was of a duel on a mountaintop. People were standing, watching in horror, as a young blond elf fought fiercely with a tall, demon-type creature, wreathed in flame and carrying a burning sword and flaming whip in either hand. The carefully drawn runes on the opposite page were incomprehensible to Vlad, but he guessed they described the duel.

The blond elf looked familiar, but Vlad couldn't place the face at first. He carefully examined the features, especially the angry, fearful eyes. Then, his own eyes widened in recognition. "I don't believe it!" Vlad whispered. "It can't be." The elf he knew was brave and skilled, but even _he_ looked overmatched. He couldn't see how this could end in anything other than the elf's demise. Then, his not-quite ghost sense went off.

"Oh, but it can." Vlad turned his head in surprise, to see Glorfindel standing behind him, looking at the picture. A strange look of remembered pain showed in his eyes. "This is a picture of my battle with a Balrog nearly 6000 years ago. I died to kill it, and protect the lives of the people who watched that battle." The pain and sorrow in the elf's eyes deepened.

Vlad turned back to the page, finding it difficult to face the deep sadness reflected in the ancient elf's eyes, hidden, until now, beneath an impenetrable mask. "What happened, if I may ask?"

"The city of Gondolin was a place of great beauty. But it was also a place of great secrecy. It was hidden deep within a mountain range that no longer exists. The only entrance to the plain was an underground passage carved out by a dried river. The city stood for over 400 years. None could enter who had not come in when the city was founded. It was the last holdout, the last community of Noldorin Elves." He closed his eyes for a second, took a breath, and said, "There are many groups of Elves that live in Middle-earth. But only the Noldorin have lived in Valinor, the Undying Lands, and seen the Light of the Two Trees. These were Trees that blossomed under the care of the Valar, and shone of their own Light, gold and silver. They are dead now, and their last flower and fruit were used to create the vessels of the Sun and the Moon.

"In any case, Morgoth, the greatest source of evil this world has ever known, sought to destroy the Elves. Morgoth hated all Elves, but none more than the Noldorin, and Gondolin was the last Noldorin city.

"It was the celebration of the Gates of Summer. All the Elves of the city had risen to greet the Sun in the East. Just as the Sun was dawning, a massive host of Orcs, dragons, and Balrogs, the greatest of Morgoth's forces, swooped down from the North to massacre the celebrants."

Hearing this, Vlad suddenly remembered the Yom Kippur War, when the Arab armies attacked Israel on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, hoping to sweep the Jews into the sea. Not unlike these Elves Glorfindel mentioned, every Jew who understood the purpose was focused on the holiness and solemnity of the day. The cruelty of this attack was that no Jew would have thought to prepare for war on that day. Vlad might be cruel, twisted, and evil, but not even he would stoop to _that_ level. A wave of sympathy washed over him as he continued to listen to Glorfindel's tale.

"There were battles all over the city. The defense we mounted was the best possible, given the time we had to prepare. The only ones who truly escaped were those who made it to the Way of Escape prepared by Idril, the king's daughter, and Lord Elrond's grandmother. I was in the rearguard of the group.

"We were in the mountains North of the city when we were attacked by orcs, led by a Balrog, left to prevent the escape of anyone who managed to get out in the sack of the city." Vlad felt a pang. It wasn't quite guilt, but he couldn't quite place the emotion he felt as he realized why this particular detail of his stratagem was thought of with such strong distaste.

"The remnant of the elves were able to take care of the orcs. The biggest threat, however, was the Balrog. Only I had the skill, so only I faced it, and the others were able to escape.

"It was a furious battle between the Balrog and me. I slashed him with the sword, he burned me with his whip. It was harsh and bitter, but each of us gave as good as we got. It was a battle to the death... and both of us died.

"As an elf, my _fëa_ lived on. I answered the summons to the Halls of Mandos, for judgment and rest, until I was reborn.

"My second childhood was in Valinor." He sighed. "Glorious are the Undying Lands, as always. But they were different without the Two Trees. And there, I could have stayed. But I felt a calling. My people needed me, and so, to Middle-earth I returned.

"I have had many relationships, but few give me the satisfaction as my friendship with Elrond and his wife and children. Their lives are a testament to the fact that my death was worth it."

Vlad sat in silence as he realized that this valiant and ancient elf had shared his most intimate and intense emotional experience with him. In gratitude for being permitted to see this powerfully private moment, Vlad offered the only comfort he knew how. "And what of Daniel? He seems to have found a place of deep sentiment with both you and Elrond. What did he do to earn such a tender place in your hearts?"

Glorfindel's face brightened at the mention of young Danny. "He was here but for a brief two weeks with us. Elven warriors are trained to fight almost any enemy that Middle-earth has to offer. The only exception to this rule is a spirit known as the Houseless."

Vlad shook his head, almost to clear it. He cocked his head to one side, asking, "Pardon me?"

Glorfindel sighed. "Remember before, when I told you how my _fëa_, or spirit, answered the summons to the Halls of Mandos for judgment?" Vlad nodded. "All decent Elves answer the summons when called, when death comes in the form of wounds or grief." His visage darkened. "And then, there are _fëar_ who refuse the summons, perhaps fearing judgment. They stay forever in Middle-earth, without purpose or form. Their only aim, when they have one, is to steal the body of an already living elf. Young Danny, in his reflection on the matter, likened the experience to a ghost overpowering and overshadowing another ghost. The elf victimized feels the spirit enter, and he is nearly powerless to stop the hostile takeover." He closed his eyes at the painful memory. "We can struggle. We can fight it. We can hold it back. But we _will_ lose.

"While Danny was here, four Houseless attacked four elves." He laughed mirthlessly. "I was attacked twice. I do not know how he did it - apparently it is one of his ghost powers, but Danny was able to force the Houseless out of each of us. He saved our lives at great personal cost to himself. Not only did he save our lives, but he mourned for the collateral damage he caused in his great effort to save us.

"The Houseless that attacked me was particularly persistent. It attacked not once, but twice. And I very nearly lost my life... again. The Houseless had caused me much damage. And the force Danny used to make it go... the Houseless did not stand a chance. I almost did not make it."

The elf breathed a sigh. "After a restorative night's sleep to regain his strength from exhaustion, Danny kept a watchful vigil for the elves unconscious, until we each woke in our turn. I was the last to rouse. But once Danny woke up, he refused food, or drink, or sleep, until he was sure we would pull through.

"Danny is a very special young boy. I hope you can fully appreciate what a treasure your world has for having him."

Vlad sighed. Glorfindel had given him an awful lot to digest. Before, he figured out why his particular stratagem gave offense. Now, he understood the fierce outrage that overtook the elves when he overshadowed the general. And further still, he understood why these elves cared so much about Danny, and why they were angered at the thought that Vlad was a threat to their own hero. Inwardly, Vlad rolled his eyes. Danny couldn't get out of the role of hero if he tried!

But at that moment, Vlad resolved not to hurt the boy again. Taking him down a peg... _that_ he could always use. But he could not bring himself to envision causing him such great pain again. That much, he could swear to never do. Still, a couple of blasts here and there were fair game.

* * *

Glossary

Balrog (S. Power terror or demon of might)- spirits of fire cloaked in darkness. They served Morgoth, the Great Enemy. One ruled the Dwarven realm of Moria during the last millennium of the Third Age, until it was defeated by Gandalf in 3019.

the Two Trees- two trees, each one-of-a-kind, that grew in Valinor. One was silver and one was gold. They shone of their own light, raining dew upon the ground as they continuously waxed and waned, one waxing as the other waned.

Valar- powerful spirits who existed before the creation of Arda. They rank as archangels, in terms of power and ability. The Men of Middle-earth call them gods.

_fëa_ (S. Spirit pl. _fëar_)- the elven spirit. Further details can be found in the glossaries for my collaborative story with Miriam1, _A Ghost in Middle-earth_.

Halls of Mandos- the place where the spirits of the dead go. Elven spirits stay forever, if they forgo rebirth. Human spirits stay for a short time before joining with Eru, the One, who created the world.

Valinor- the Undying Lands. The Valar live there, as do most Elves. It is a second continent, only reached when one either dies, or sails West on the Straight Road, which can only be found by Elves since the Shape of the World was changed.


	15. The Army Departs

A/N: Cyber cookies to our loyal reviewers, and tea with honey to all of the readers whether you reviewed or not.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Glad you liked Glorfindel's story. When we discussed the Fall of Gondolin, my description made Miriam realize the implications and she made the connection. It really made us both sit up and take notice.

Yes, Gandalf is very powerful. Being one of the Maiar, he has a lot of abilities that most people in Middle-earth are never aware of.

**Amazing Bluie**: I'm glad you liked it. Vlad prides himself on figuring out the psychology of the people around him. The connection the Elves have to Danny and the value they accord to him make him stop and think. He _is_ the only other half-ghost with whom he has a long-standing relationship. While Vlad does enjoy bothering Danny, he also respects Danny (not that he would ever admit this to our favorite hero). He will also keep his promise. After "Infinite Realms", Vlad never acts to physically hurt Danny again, besides a few stray blasts and random rough treatment to remind Danny "who's in charge". In "Phantom Planet", Vlad merely embarrassed Danny, but he did no physical harm.

And now...

Chapter 15: The Army Departs

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The following morning, Elrond called Vlad to his study. Glorfindel was already there, his face grim as he stood to one side, holding a sheet of parchment. Elrond motioned Vlad to sit, and the man did so, looking from one elf to the other in curiosity. The dark-haired elf folded his hands in front of him on the desk and said, "We have received word from Lord Círdan that he and Prince Eärnur are ready to leave with their warriors. I have notified our warriors and Prince Aranarth to be in the courtyard, ready to go, at sunrise tomorrow. I am informing you as a courtesy, because of your involvement in planning our battle strategy."

Vlad nodded. "I thank you for this. I realize you may not trust me, as I've really given you no reason to, but I do know a thing or two about battle. And I _can_ be useful. I don't know if Daniel told you about the time we fought the Ghost King, a tyrant among ghosts. While _he_ was the one who fought hand-to-hand with Pariah Dark, _I_, along with a handful of other ghosts, fought the Ghost King's minions, who numbered in the thousands. We destroyed them phalanx by phalanx, until they ceased to move of _any _volition. At that point, I checked in on Daniel's battle with the Ghost King. Daniel had forced Pariah back into the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. It was at that point, that I took the Key, locking the Sarcophagus, and brought young Daniel back to safety."

Elrond realized Vlad was telling the truth. Vlad took a breath. "To quote your favorite young hero, 'You don't have to trust me. Just fight with me.'"

The two elves looked at each other, silently communicating in that glance. Elrond nodded, and turned back to the man before him. "I believe we can trust you to help in the battle, but we have no armor to fit you, and no time to forge it. I cannot permit you to join battle without any protection."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "You forget some of my more interesting talents as a half-ghost. I can fly out of range of any hand-to-hand weapons, and turn intangible to avoid any projectiles. I also have a few other surprises that will aid in obfuscating anyone who chooses _me_ as a target."

Elrond considered this and, recalling what he'd seen of Danny's abilities, nodded. "Very well. Be in the courtyard at sunrise. I shall arrange for a mount to be prepared for you. I would suggest that you be there promptly." Vlad nodded in acceptance.

* * *

The rest of the day, Vlad stayed out of the way of the Elves and Men as they prepared for the army's departure.

As the army rode out the next morning, Vlad rode next to Glorfindel at the head of the elven column. Elladan and Elrohir were behind them. The twins were puzzled about Vlad's presence. True, he seemed competent on horseback, but he wore no armor and carried no weapons. He looked like a nobleman on a jaunt through the countryside.

Speaking quietly, so only his brother would hear, Elrohir said, "I do not think we can trust him. The sense I get from him suggests that he is a danger." He glanced briefly at the man and continued, "I do not know why he was permitted to come. He does not look like he will be of much use when the battle begins."

Elladan nodded. "I agree, but the decision was Father's. He obviously believes Vlad can be of help in some way. And it may not involve actually engaging the enemy. The healers wear no armor either." He considered his brother's concerns and said, "Perhaps Glorfindel can shed some light on this for us."

They urged their horses forward until they were beside the blond elf. Glorfindel nodded to them. Elrohir spoke first. "Glorfindel, I am a little concerned about Vlad's presence."

"So am I," Elladan chimed in. "He cannot be trusted."

"No," Glorfindel agreed, "he cannot. But we can trust him to fight our enemy."

"What can Vlad do without weapons?" Elrohir asked.

Glorfindel gave him a level look. "I have seen a half-ghost in battle before. Vlad has power that is not immediately visible. When the time comes, his battle-readiness will be proved." The twins were clearly unhappy with his answer, but they accepted it and returned to their places in the column.

* * *

The younger princes of Arthedain also observed Vlad. They were only a few ranks behind the leaders in the _Dúnedain_ column, so they had a clear view of Vlad and Glorfindel at the head of the elven column.

Aratan said, "I appreciate the fact that our 'master tactician' has come to the battle with us, but dressed as he is, he does not belong at the head of a column."

Elendur observed, "Appropriately suited or not, Glorfindel is the only one here he can understand and can understand him. If orders need to be given, his current placement is the only one that makes sense."

"Still, he is dressed as a civilian. Cruel though his plans might have been, he cannot expect his personal attitude to save him from an orc's arrow."

Elendur nodded. "True. And the strategy _has_ already been laid. I fail to see the use of a civilian in the battle."

General Voronwë, just ahead of them, heard this conversation and turned to look at them "While Your Highnesses certainly bring up valid points, there is one thing you have failed to acknowledge: Elves are notoriously protective of any guest in their realm. They would certainly disallow Vlad's presence in the battle ranks if they thought he was either incapable or unprotected. And yet he rides alongside of Glorfindel, the elven general. They must know something about this man. It is impossible to figure out without being in their direct counsel, but they _must_ know something about him that we do not."

* * *

Vlad was woken at dawn and presented with a soldier's pack. He was very uncomfortably reminded of his exile a little over a week ago.

Another knock came at his door. Vlad opened it to see a grim-looking Glorfindel. "Vlad, it is time. You shall ride alongside me, at the head of the Rivendell elven column."

Vlad nodded solemnly. He followed the briskly walking elf to his mount, where Glorfindel promptly handed him two pieces of toast and an apple. He said, "The soldiers have been up since an hour before dawn, in preparation. I decided that it would be more beneficial for you to have the extra hour of sleep."

Vlad said gratefully, "Thank you for your consideration."

Glorfindel mounted his horse and led the elven contingent out of the courtyard. Once the formation had lined up behind them, the _Dúnedain_ contingent lined up alongside them. Vlad was able to attend to his hastily delivered breakfast.

A few miles out, Vlad had the chance to glance behind him. He was greeted with the sight of thousands of Elves and Men. He knew how many there were, as the numbers were given to him in their strategy sessions. But seeing the actualization of his plans was still a very awesome sight. Vlad recalled working with a handful of ghosts while fighting the countless skeleton minions of the Ghost King, but this was the first time that he participated personally in an army of any sort. It was a rather humbling experience as he realized that he was only one among thousands, until he remembered that he was riding alongside the general at the head of the column.

Vlad was interrupted from his reverie when he heard Elrond's twin sons speaking, and they said his name. He jerked his head in their general direction, but he had no hope of understanding them, as they were speaking in that Elvish language. By their tone, he could tell that, whatever sentiment they held, it was not positive when it was about _him_.

Vlad's eyes widened when the twins drew alongside Glorfindel, unabashedly discussing him! Glorfindel seemed to defend him, which put him a little more at ease. Once the twins dropped back to their position in the column, Vlad turned to Glorfindel and asked, "What was _that_ about?"

Glorfindel answered, "The twins were concerned about you. For all the world, you appear to be a nobleman at leisure. They expressed concern for your safety, and I assured them of your battle-readiness."

Vlad felt sure that there was a dimension of the elves' conversation that was missing, but not knowing the language, he decided not to press the issue. After all, Glorfindel _was_ the general and did not need to be distracted with petty complaints about his pride.

The day was uneventful. They stopped every couple of hours to rest the horses for 15 minutes. A full hour at solar noon was taken for lunch. Towards sunset, they made camp off the road, opposite the forest Vlad had found himself in on his arrival in this world. The army's size had increased due to the Wandering Companies they had met up with throughout the day. A watch was set, consisting of both men and elves. Several campfires were lit, and people gathered in groups around them.

Much the same thing happened the following day. They crossed a river by way of a bridge, and stopped for the night within sight of a line of hills, ending in a conical hilltop surmounted by the ruins of a stone structure. The men avoided looking at the hill and the elves on watch kept an eye on it and the hills behind it. Once again, Wandering Companies swelled their ranks.

Vlad noticed the marked difference in the attitude of the people around him. "Glorfindel," Vlad asked, "why are the men avoiding looking at this hill? And why are the elves looking at it as intently as the men are avoiding it?"

Glorfindel looked at the hill sadly. "Prince Aranarth told you the more recent history of the war with Angmar. Sometime before Angmar was founded, the kingdom of Arnor split into three due to dissension between the sons of the king. Each founded his own kingdom.

"Angmar was founded to destroy them. Rhudaur was the first to fall, and nothing now remains of it. Cardolan was next, and only that hill, Weathertop, is left of it. Arthedain is all that stands of Arnor, and it cannot even be called a kingdom any longer. Weathertop is a constant reminder of the fate of the _Dúnedain_ of the North if we fail at Fornost."

Vlad nodded solemnly. "I see. Is there a proper way to pay my respects?"

"Not specifically, but your desire to do so is admirable. I am certain the princes would appreciate your company." The elf nodded to the campfire in the midst of the _Dúnedain_ encampment. Aranarth sat with his brothers, staring into the fire, none of them really interested in the plates of stew they held. The men around them were going about their usual camp routines, but the three princes were obviously lost in some memory.

Glorfindel took Vlad over to the princes' fire. "Your Highness." All three men looked up at the softly spoken Sindarin. "Vlad wishes to pay his respects." He indicated his companion, who wore a genuinely concerned look on his face. Aranarth indicated for both to sit down, and they did so.

Aranarth turned back to the fire, silent for several moments before speaking. "Thank you, Vlad. This place was a special site for our people. The watchtower that once stood there held the most important of the Seeing Stones, objects we have used for centuries to protect and defend a vast kingdom." He paused for Glorfindel to translate, and then continued.

"When Arnor was divided, all three kingdoms claimed Weathertop, which stands at the conjunction of the borders of all three. Cardolan and Rhudaur each felt it was theirs because Arthedain had the other two Seeing Stones within its territory. This division was why Angmar arose, to take advantage of the disunity to destroy Arnor.

"The Seeing Stone was moved to Fornost before the watchtower was destroyed. My father took it and the one from the old capital when Fornost fell. Both now lie beside my father in the Ice Bays. The last Seeing Stone of Arnor only looks to the West, to Númenor and the Undying Lands." He and his brothers looked wistful at the thought of Númenor. Glorfindel's face literally shone at the mention of the Undying Lands.

Aratan and Elendur were touched by Vlad's concern. The man was a multi-faceted personality. His attitude, in general, was disturbing, but he was capable of caring a great deal for others. Vlad listened patiently to Aranarth as he explained Weathertop's significance. The older man seemed genuinely interested in hearing their history and understanding why the hill caused such emotional distress for them.

Vlad sat in silence for a few moments as he absorbed the prince's story. Quietly, Vlad said, "I am truly sorry to hear of your great loss. Is there anything I can do to comfort you in this moment of mourning?"

Glorfindel and the three princes looked at Vlad. Prince Aranarth was genuinely touched. The others were genuinely surprised at Vlad's show of compassion. Aratan said, "That is... kind of you. I suppose... just being here and showing your concern already helps to bring us comfort." After a few minutes of congenial quiet, Vlad bade them good night and went back to his bedroll.

This encounter gave the elf and three princes something to think about. Elendur stared after Vlad. "That _was_ kind of him. That kindness is not reflected in the feelings we have been having." Aratan nodded.

Aranarth sighed. "He is far more complicated than simple feelings will allow. Whatever it is that you feel, I cannot help but think that he is a good man."

Aratan said, "I am struck by the idea of a man who can be so cruel, yet can also be so kind. I may have to rethink my opinion of him." Both brothers nodded in agreement, the older in simple agreement, the younger acknowledging he too may need to rethink things.

Glorfindel lay on his bedroll looking at the stars, thinking about the man he translated for. Of all the people in Middle-earth, no one, not even Elrond, has seen the great complexities of the _adan_, Vlad. He was still the same man, but perhaps, this is more of that unexpected mercy and compassion that he seemed to be capable of showing to young Danny and, apparently, others. He decided that this is something he should bring to the attention of Elrond when he got home.

* * *

Glossary

Rhudaur- the Easternmost kingdom of Arnor, founded in the Third Age (TA) 861. It's rule was taken over by Hill-men in league with Angmar in 1351, 624 years prior to the events described here. As such, it is no longer a _Dúnedain_ kingdom.

Cardolan- the Southern kingdom of Arnor, founded in TA 861. It was overrun by Angmar in 1409, when it's prince was killed with no heir to succeed him. It was repopulated after Angmar's first defeat, surviving until 1636, when a plague killed the last inhabitants.

Weathertop- a conical hill surmounted by the remains of a stone watchtower. It is the most Southern of the Weather Hills. The tower was destroyed in the wars with Angmar. It is beneath this hill that Frodo Baggins was attacked by Ringwraiths on October 6, 3018 TA.

Seeing Stones- the _palantíri _of Númenor. They were gifts of the Elves to the _Dúnedain_. They gave the user the ability to glimpse other times and places, including pending attacks from one's enemies and the arrival of expected reinforcements. One fell into Pippin's hands in Isengard. Another was in use in Minas Tirith by the Ruling Stewards, especially Denethor II.

Ice Bays- the Ice Bays of Forochel. These are the Northern bays where Arvedui drowned.


	16. Meeting the Halflings

A/N: Yay! Reviews.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Vlad's sympathy is genuine. Since Prince Aranarth already likes him, he doesn't need to fake it to get in the prince's good graces. Another thing to keep in mind: while Vlad is an evil Froot Loop, he is also very human. The fact that the entirety of the human army seems wary of the tower on the hill and are actually in mourning is not going to escape his attention.

**Amazing Bluie**: I think Vlad is evil with a good side. In his mind, all he ever wanted was to be loved. However, none of that excuses all of his crimes against humanity and Danny. Still, his good side can be genuinely good.

Next chapter, the people of Middle-earth will see precisely what a halfa can do.

And now...

Chapter 16: Meeting the Halflings

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The third day, no more Wandering Companies joined them. They passed the hills on their right, as well as a hilly area to their left. Just past the hills on their right was a marshland that was almost entirely water. As they approached a small village a couple of hours later, a tiny forest loomed on their right. Because of the army's size, they camped outside the village. The proximity of the forest forced the majority of the army to the South side of the road.

The village was protected by a low hedge and dike, circling around to a long low hill. The hedge was broken by a single gate, with a second presumably on the other side of the village. The army began setting up camp in the late afternoon light. Vlad had just relieved his horse of its tack and his gear when he noticed a large number of people crossing the fields. Some were men and some seemed to be children. The proportion of whom Vlad assumed were children to adults was two to one. Puzzling over this high ratio, Vlad went to find Glorfindel to help with their campfire.

The fire was burning merrily, and they were about to start preparing the evening meal when Glorfindel noticed Vlad's obvious agitation. He asked, "Vlad, what troubles you?"

Vlad furrowed his brow and considered his response. "As I removed my tack, I happened to notice the people in the fields leave for home. While I appreciate the fact that children can be helpful in an agrarian society, there seemed to be twice as many children as there are adults!

"Where I'm from, there are child labor laws to insure that children are not exploited by society. Children belong home with their families, or in schools, but not out in the fields doing the work where adults should at _least _be helping!"

Glorfindel was taken aback by the ferocity of Vlad's outrage on behalf of whom he suspected were children. He attempted to soothe the irate man. "Dear good man," Glorfindel said sincerely, "the people who you have assumed are children are indeed not. These are halflings. Be assured that the numbers of actual children helping adults in the field are closer to the proportions that _you_ might expect of a farming community.

"I am unsure of what you refer to when you speak of 'child labor laws'. Here, children help in all manner of activities. But children are cared for and protected. The folk of the Breeland, like the folk of the Shire, are largely contented and sheltered from the wars of Men and Elves and Dwarves. For the most part, they are peaceful people who lack for nothing, and children are most dear to them. I cannot envision the people of the Breeland purposefully mistreating children."

Vlad nodded, absorbing all that he was told. The first thing he noticed was Glorfindel's response to him was the _kindest _exchange he'd received from the elf since he got to Middle-earth! Something about this impressed him. Second of all, he was never so glad to be so wrong! Middle-earth seemed to be a medieval society. The concept of child labor laws _would_ be foreign to these people. But he felt soothed as he realized that his American sensibilities for the fair treatment of children by society were not offended. The third thing that Vlad was made aware of by Glorfindel's response was that he had now seen the Halflings, the race of people who would be contributing fifty sharpshooters to their war effort.

Significantly more calmly, Vlad said, "Thank you for that clarification."

Glorfindel asked, "While I am glad to know of it, what inspired this passion for the protection of children?"

Vlad drew a long, cleansing breath. "In the history of the world, but more particularly in the country I call my own, many people had no problem using children for what would effectively be slave labor. It is only within the past seventy years that laws were established to protect the interests of these children. As a concerned citizen, and as a mayor, it's my job to pay attention to how these laws are carried out." Vlad thought, 'Sure, I've bent, and broken, plenty of laws. But some things are sacrosanct. No matter _what_ I wanted of Daniel, slave labor was _never_ part of the equation.' True, he told Danielle that she only existed to serve him, but she was only a clone, and therefore didn't count.

Vlad spent the evening in quiet reflection. Once he had fallen asleep, the twins approached Glorfindel. Elrohir asked, "We noticed your _adan_ friend's agitation, and your decidedly warmer attitude towards him. May we ask what transpired?"

Glorfindel collected his thoughts for a moment. "He is still a twisted individual, but he has shown me a side of him that is undeniably good." The twins' eyes widened in surprise. Glorfindel continued, "Upon seeing the Halflings, Vlad mistakenly assumed that children were being exploited and he was angered at the perceived injustice. It occurs to me that Vlad deserves to be treated with a good deal more respect than we have shown him thus far."

Elrohir looked at Elladan, and then at the ground. Of the two, _he_ had been colder and more mistrustful of Vlad. He had never been uncivil, but he was keenly aware that he never properly respected the man. This is a situation he would remedy come morning.

* * *

The following morning, they prepared to leave. The Halflings joined them just before they were ready to continue the journey. Fifty of them rode up on ponies, each with a bow and quiver of arrows. Their placement in the formation seemed to be solidly between the ranks of the Rivendell Elves and the prince-led _Dúnedain_.

The amassed company skirted Bree and headed Northeast to their planned position. By nightfall, the Weather Hills filled their vision. The halflings pitched camp halfway between the Elves and the _Dúnedain_. Vlad noted that they kept to themselves, for the most part. He was curious about them. At this point, he understood that they were adults, but his mind kept telling him they were children.

He tried not to stare, and he concentrated on the fact that they were very close to their predetermined destination.

* * *

The Hobbit camp consisted of fifty members of about eight prominent families. Some fretted about the uncomfortable proximity to all of these Big People, particularly the Elves, and these Men who spent a lot of time with Elves. Still, it behooved them to take in their surroundings. They couldn't help but notice the strangely, yet nobly dressed Man in the Elven camp.

As they sat around the fire, they discussed this interesting gentleman. A younger hobbit named Fortinbras Took said, "I wonder who this Man is. How come he's not with the other Men?"

His brother Ferdinand said, "I don't know. Why don't we ask someone and find out?"

Carl Boffin, one of the older hobbits of the group, said, "Oh, no you don't! Who that Man is is none of our business!"

Fortinbras warmed up to his brother's idea. "I don't know. He doesn't carry any weapons. And the fact that he's over by the Elves, and not the Men, makes me curious. Who here _doesn't_ want to know about this man?"

None present could honestly answer that they were not interested, much to the chagrin of many. "Right then," Fortinbras forged ahead. "Let's ask the prince. He'll know." Ferdinand was only too happy to follow his brother's lead.

Carl rolled his eyes. When the two younger hobbits glanced at the others hopefully, a fourth hobbit named Cottar Baggins sighed and said, "Fine. I'll go with you. _Someone_ has to make sure you Tooks don't get into too much trouble."

The three hobbits strode over to the prince's fire. "Aranarth," Ferdinand called.

Surprised at hearing his given name in a particularly high-pitched voice, Prince Aranarth looked to find the voice. To his continued surprise, there stood three halflings, two rather bold and one reluctant. "Yes, sirs. How may I help you?"

"Who is that Man over by the Elves?"

With eyebrows raised, the addressed prince answered, "That gentleman is named Vlad Masters. He is the one who gave us the strategy and battle plan that we intend to follow."

Ferdinand nodded and Fortinbras asked, "Why is he over by the elves and not here with you? And why is he dressed differently than either the Elves or the Men?"

Prince Aranarth thought for a moment. "Well, Vlad is from a very distant land. Apparently, he is dressed in the custom of his people. The reason he is with the Elves is that the land he is from is so distant that no one knows his language, except for the Elves."

The Took brothers were intrigued. Cottar's face showed his nervousness. Ferdinand asked, "Then where is he from?"

Prince Aranarth stroked his chin and said, "I do not think we ever asked. You might ask him if you like." The Tooks beamed and Cottar trembled. "I think you would do better to ask the Elven general to translate for you. His name is Glorfindel."

"Thank you, sir!" Fortinbras concluded. He led their group over to the Elven camp.

* * *

Glorfindel sat by the fire, staring at the stars, until he heard a quiet commotion in the camp of the Halflings. He couldn't tell what it was about, but he found it intriguing that three of them strode with purpose to speak to Prince Aranarth.

Vlad looked over the notes he'd drawn up in the war room planning sessions. He looked up, and away from his notes, at the sound of footsteps drawing near. Quiet, but nonetheless, present. Glorfindel looked with amusement at this delegation of halflings, and noted Vlad's interest. "How may I help you?" he asked them.

One of the bolder halflings said, "We would like to know more about the nobly dressed Man in your camp."

Glorfindel chuckled. "Vlad, I believe you have some visitors."

Vlad looked at the halflings in slight puzzlement and asked, "How can I help you?"

The other bold halfling said, "Aranarth said that you come from so far away that only the Elves know your language. Where are you from?"

Vlad took a moment to digest this. First of all, he was being addressed by halflings. That, in itself, gave him reason to pause. Secondly, they addressed the Crown Prince as if on a first name basis. Third of all, he wasn't entirely sure how to answer their question in a useful manner.

Glorfindel smiled at Vlad's flustered expression. He noticed the third halfling's half-mortification and half-curiosity, which only amused him more. Vlad furrowed his brows and said, "The prince is right. I am from farther away than you can imagine."

The first halfling spoke again. "This is our first time out of the Shire. Where on the map would it be?"

Vlad thought for a moment. "I think we could safely say that where I come from is so far away that it would not even show up on a map drawn by the Elves." Glorfindel nodded. Vlad had _no idea_ how appropriate the answer he just gave truly was.

The eyes of all three halflings grew wide at the realization of how far from home this man was. The second bold halfling said, "Thank you for coming so far from home to help us."

Glorfindel's eyes twinkled in amusement as Vlad thought of some response. Vlad nodded as he waited for the words to come to him. He decided that the only response was no response, and he changed topics. "May I ask you a few questions?"

The two bolder halflings looked at each other and, in unison, said, "Sure!" The third covered his eyes.

By this time, Vlad became amused at the halflings' eagerness. Mostly. "If I may, how old are you?" It was important for Vlad to sort out whether these people were children or not.

The shorter of the two bold halflings said, "I just came of age last year. I'm thirty-four. My older brother Fortinbras is only two years older than me."

Vlad jerked his head at the familiar name. "And what is your name?"

"I am Ferdinand Took, sir."

Vlad smiled enigmatically, and Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "And you are Hamlet, I suppose?" he asked the third halfling.

Startled to be addressed, the third halfling looked to the elf in fear. "Do not worry. He means nothing by it." Glorfindel soothed.

The terrified halfling closed his eyes, centered himself, opened his eyes, took a breath, and said, "I am Cottar Baggins, and I am forty-four years old. I am familiar with the name Hamfast, but Hamlet I don't know." Ferdinand and Fortinbras patted him on the back in congratulations.

Glorfindel couldn't help himself. "What is 'Hamlet'?"

Vlad smiled an amused smile. "Please tell our halfling friends that where I'm from, Fortinbras and Ferdinand are names of famous kings. It only made sense to me to fill in the name of a third king to complete the set."

Glorfindel smiled with satisfaction as he explained Vlad's words. The three halflings beamed, Cottar despite himself. Fortinbras asked another question that was on his mind. "Why aren't you wearing armor, or carrying a weapon?"

Vlad answered, "These are good questions. I am, indeed, in possession of weapons. You just can't see them until I need to take them out to use them. The question of armor... well... when I use my weapons, you may see why I need no armor."

Ferdinand asked, "Are you a Wizard? Like Gandalf?"

Glorfindel was amused again. Vlad answered, "No. But that's another interesting question."

Having come to the end of their questions, Fortinbras said, "Thank you, sir. It was a pleasure to meet you, Vlad!" They bowed in thanks, and turned to Glorfindel. "Thank you, Glorfindel, for translating for us!" With that, they returned to their camp, filled to bursting with lots of things to tell the other halflings.

* * *

Vlad watched the three halflings as they returned to their camp and excitedly reported all the things they had learned. Vlad observed, "Whatever else they are, they certainly are charming."

Glorfindel nodded. "Yes. They are. They are unambitious people, and tend to keep to themselves. The Men and Elves closest to their homes try to shelter them from our affairs. In essence, it helps them to preserve their childlike innocence.

"In general, the Halflings are wary of the larger Races. Therefore, the group who came to speak to us and meet you were particularly bold. The third, more reluctant, one of the group seemed to cling more to the standard Halfling sensibilities. The group will probably not be thought well of among their camp, as such adventurousness is not considered respectable by them.

"Apparently, Fortinbras and Ferdinand have thrown caution to the wind. Cottar seems to have come along to keep them in line. The boldness of halflings is a rare thing, and the results of such are almost always amusing." Glorfindel's eyes shone with said amusement.

Vlad smiled, also amused, but also somewhat flattered that he caused this rare excitement among these unusual small people.

* * *

Glossary

Shire- a piece of land between the Tower Hills and the Baranduin (Brandywine) River. This land was given to the Hobbits by the King of Arnor 375 years prior to this story.

A/N: The hobbits' names were derived from the Hobbit genealogies in the Appendices in _The Lord of the Rings_.

After a little research, we discovered that Hamlet and Fortinbras, two princely characters in Shakespeare's _Hamlet_, may not have actually existed as the princes of Denmark and Norway, respectively. However, Vlad may not be aware of this fact that we just discovered, thinking that the characters are as real as the characters in Shakespeare's historical plays, which are based on actual royalty earlier in Britain's history. It's an easy enough mistake to make. After all, we made it, and didn't discover it until the writing of this note.

Ferdinand _was_ an actual king. He was King of Aragon (Spain) in the late 15th -early 16th centuries, and was married to Queen Isabella of Castille. He was the king who paid for Columbus to voyage to America and who exiled the Jews from Spain in 1492.


	17. The Battle

A/N: Lots of reviews for last chapter! Cyber cookies to the reviewers, hot tea with honey for all of the readers!

**Hordak's Pupil**: I believe you slipped up when writing your review. Morgoth was defeated at the end of the First Age. The Enemy in the Second and Third Ages was Sauron, and the leader of the enemy forces in Arnor was the Witch-king.

Considering that their homes are at risk, the Hobbits had every reason to get involved in this war. Bilbo and Frodo were reluctant to leave the Shire because their journeys took them far from home. When Pippin and Merry raised the Shire to chase out Saruman and the ruffians, they had an easier time getting the Hobbits to fight because they were defending their homes.

Vlad's reaction to the Hobbits was fun to write. They were small and, to him, insignificant. Even though he knows intellectually that they are good fighters, he still thought of them as children until he spoke to them.

**Inukagome15**: Four reviews! Glad you caught up with us. About the half-dead thing... While it is true that Butch Hartman said that ghosts are not supposed to be spirits of dead people but ectoplasmic monsters from a different dimension, the fact is that canon does not actually represent that.

The Dairy King, Desiree, and Sydney Poindexter are most definitely spirits of dead people. The Lunch Lady and Ember McClain seem to be, too.

And you only focused on parts of Jack and Maddie's cries. Sometimes they go on about "ectoplasmic scum", but my favorite cry is something about "odd manifestations of ectoplasmic energy and post-human consciousness!" (That one's in "Public Enemy.")

As such, it is hard to say for certain WHAT ghosts are, because Butch Hartman's words go against part of his own canon.

Therefore, it is not unfounded to assume that the half-ghosts are half-dead. It is odd, but it fits weirdly into the bizarre moment of canon that Butch Hartman created. Besides, Elrond's words fit his own view of life and death. To Elves, ghosts (or spirits) are manifestations of dead people, so a half-ghost is essentially half dead.

Elrond probably is puzzled, but he won't pry into Vlad's private affairs. He would rather wait for Vlad to bring it up, even if the topic is never raised. No, he has no clue just how devious Vlad can be.

Vlad may file it away for later, but he never does anything like what he did in "Kindred Spirits" or "Infinite Realms" ever again. Throughout the third season AFTER "Infinite Realms", he never does anything to Danny that could cause permanent harm. He gives Danny a few bruises and bumps in "D-Stabilized" and "Phantom Planet", but nothing Danny couldn't handle.

If Vlad had the time, he could have learned Sindarin or Westron, or even both. But that would take a couple years at the least. Nice catch on the story of Gondolin. Yes, that is what was referred to in the last story.

Yes it was lucky for Glorfindel, but he died, too. Balrogs are very scary and very tough to beat.

These stories fit exactly into the show's time-line. As I said above, Vlad did nothing to cause permanent harm to Danny in the third season after "Infinite Realms". Danny's adventure discusses stuff from the whole series. To get Vlad to Middle-earth, we had to play around with the time line and cycle back a few months. So, Vlad only knows what happens up to some point in the third season. We never made clear whether this happened before or after "D-Stabilized," but it definitely happened before "Phantom Planet."

Yes, his actions did lead to Danny getting rid of his ghost powers, but it was unintentional. In fact, he specifically tells Danny that he hadn't expected the kid to give up his powers. Beating up Danny wasn't breaking the vow we have him make. Danny can handle what Vlad does to him. Vlad didn't say he wouldn't cause _any_ harm to Danny. He said he wouldn't do anything to cause _permanent_ injury. In other words, risking Danny's life by hiring a hunter like Skulker again is out of the question. But knocking him around a little to show him who's in charge is alright.

Yes, Vlad does learn from Danny. Who says adults can't learn from kids?

The twins may not trust Vlad, but they can't keep a close eye on him in battle. It's too chaotic to keep track of one person all the time. Besides, they have to watch their own backs and those of the other warriors.

They will find it surprising, but they'll know it's him. Vlad won't find it very convenient to hide behind a bush to transform right before a battle. Besides, no one from home will ever hear about it from anyone in this battle.

Vlad is very intelligent. His pride does get in the way sometimes, but he learns how and when to rein it in.

Weathertop's history is only hinted at in _Lord of the Rings_. Check out the Appendices at the back of _Return of the King_. Tolkien had a lot of background he couldn't include in the main story, so he stuck on Appendices at the end for additional information.

Yes, Vlad should show Danny that side of him, but he doesn't. It is a real shame, because he has so much more to his personality than his obsessions.

Yes, Hobbits would find it very insulting to be called Dwarves. The Dwarves would be even more insulted. You do _not_ want to insult a Dwarf.

Vlad has a very narrow definition of what makes a person human. But he also sees himself as being better than other humans, so he thinks he has the right to decide what makes a person human. Vlad will probably be pleased that the twins are being nicer, even though he won't understand why.

Hobbits are very curious about the world. And the humans didn't really learn much about Vlad from the Elves in the first place. So their curiosity is understandable. The concept of a suit and tie is foreign to Middle-earth, so they might not think much of it. They would be more curious about the fact that our clothes are made from materials they have never heard of. Rayon, nylon, and polyester are very new materials. People in Middle-earth wear natural fibers, like silk, wool, and linen.

Glad you enjoyed the conversation. We enjoyed writing it. Vlad is really out of his element, but he knows not to talk about where he's from in too much detail. The hobbits did get it wrong about why Vlad's in Middle-earth, but in their minds, he's come from the farthest reaches of Rhûn and Khand. To them, the only reason for him to come that far is to help one side or the other in the war.

Tooks are unusual for Hobbits. According to the Prologue to LOTR, the tribe the Tooks are descended from always associated more with Elves than the other tribes.

**Amazing Bluie**: Glad you've enjoyed the story. Don't worry. The action is coming!

Some of the readers have been waiting for a half-ghost to decimate battalions of orcs. Here's the battle you've been waiting for since Danny first got to Middle-earth. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 17: The Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

The next morning, they broke camp and left as they had every day. They got to their intended destination, the North end of the Weather Hills, in a little over an hour of travel time. Vlad removed his tack and helped to reestablish camp in their new location when Glorfindel approached him purposefully.

"Vlad, may I speak with you?"

The formality of Glorfindel's words caught Vlad by surprise. "Of course. What did you have in mind?"

Glorfindel said, "I am about to send scouts around the surrounding area. I would request your service using your uniquely qualified talents to delve deeply into Fornost. While Elves are capable of moving almost silently, you are able to scout invisibly, leaving no tracks."

Vlad considered for a moment. Glorfindel was many things, but at the moment, he was a general who sought out the _most _qualified spy. He acknowledged that Vlad was not under his command, but asked as a personal favor.

"Yes, Glorfindel. I would be honored," he said smugly. Vlad turned ghost and asked, "Which direction am I headed?"

Still startled by Vlad's ghost form, Glorfindel took a second before answering. "The city is West Northwest of here."

With a smile of satisfaction at Glorfindel's reaction to his ghost form, Vlad nodded, but then answered seriously, "I'm on it." He turned invisible and took off.

Vlad's top speed in flight was 200 miles per hour, but he was only scouting the area. Still, with a sense of urgency, Vlad flew 160 miles per hour. In 15 minutes, he was in sight of the city. Gaining some altitude so he could visualize the lay of the land, Vlad noted a good deal of motion farther North and West of the targeted city, Fornost. Speeding up and flying higher, Vlad saw a battle already raging in the plains between the North Downs and the Hills of Evendim.

"Cinnamon sticky buns! The enemy has foiled my plan, starting farther West than anticipated." He sped back to camp as fast as he could, but it still took 12 minutes to get there.

Becoming visible in front of Glorfindel, Vlad said, "The enemy's army has engaged our allies in the plains Northwest of Fornost!"

* * *

Glorfindel had been looking over his maps, planning the placement of the army. The scouts were not expected back for some time, so he was startled to see white cloth suddenly flying in the breeze out of the corner of his eye. He looked up in surprise to see Vlad in his ghost form, anger and annoyance in his expression.

"The enemy's army has engaged our allies in the plains Northwest of Fornost!" the man cried out angrily.

The blond elf stood up and called out orders in Sindarin and Westron, prompting startled elves and men to quickly pack their gear and don armor. No one questioned the order to prepare for battle, they simply obeyed. Only the halflings hesitated, unused to battle as they were. Once the camp was moving, Glorfindel turned back to Vlad. "Tell me everything you saw. Will they hold out long enough for us to get there?"

"Only about a third of our allies expected to come from the West were present, engaging at least as many forces of the enemy. I didn't see the other 2/3s of the expected ally army. From what _I_ could tell, the battle had just begun.

"Seeing that the engaged forces appear to be evenly matched, and the other 2/3s of our forces were not in sight but must surely be available, they will probably be able to hold out until we arrive."

Glorfindel nodded. "We will go through the North Downs. I need you to keep me apprized of what is happening."

Vlad nodded and flew back in the direction of the battle. At this point, he realized he wasn't the _best_ scout this army had; he was the _only_ person available for Glorfindel's needs.

* * *

The battle was fierce, the field littered with the dead and dying. When the forces of Angmar had come towards the hills, the Elves and _Dúnedain_ from the South had reacted immediately. Two-thirds had slipped off North, while the rest rode down on the enemy. Even as the morning progressed, Angmar's forces slowly gave way. The enemy was on the verge of a full retreat, when the main body of the army swept around the hills to attack from the North.

Angmar was routed. A black horseman slowly gathered them into a semi-orderly retreat Northeast. The Gondorian cavalry gave chase, the Elves not far behind them. Healers remained behind to treat the wounded.

* * *

Vlad watched the course of the battle. The Gondorians were easily visible in the dust because of the silver tree surmounted by seven silver stars on their shields and armor. The elves were nearly invisible in the cloud of dust, their cloaks concealing them even in broad daylight. The Orcs were visibly weak-kneed in the bright sunlight, so their numbers became less of an advantage. Vlad was unsurprised when the sudden emergence of the remainder of the Gondorian-Elven force resulted in a rout of the enemy army. What caught his attention was his ghost sense warning him just before the Witch-king revealed himself to gather his scattered troops.

As the retreat moved Northeast, Vlad flew Southeast to find Glorfindel's group. He found them in the foothills of the North Downs, ready to ride through the hills to catch the enemy from behind. He landed in front of Glorfindel's horse, which shied from him. Vlad ignored it, and spoke over the horse's head to the blond elf. "The enemy is retreating Northeast. They were a third of the way past the Downs when I last saw them."

Glorfindel nodded in acknowledgment, taking Vlad's sudden arrival in stride. He asked, "Are our forces in pursuit?"

Vlad smiled, his fangs showing. "Yes. The cavalry is following. They are catching up slowly."

Glorfindel quickly considered his options. Going through the Downs would take too long. The terrain would slow them too much, and they would be left pursuing the enemy, like the Gondorians. There was only one choice left. Turning to the elves behind him, he said, "We are heading North, circling around the North Downs. We will catch the enemy as they pass the hills."

Vlad floated a few inches above the ground, listening as company leaders relayed the orders. The language they used was the musical one the elves used to speak among themselves. Glorfindel turned back to him and said, "Thank you for this news. We are changing direction to skirt the Downs. We can catch the enemy past the Northern foothills."

Vlad smiled and raised his eyebrows. "You _do_ realize that by continuing the route you're planning, you _will_ cut off the enemy's escape route, don't you?"

Glorfindel looked disturbed. "I suppose you are right. But I _did_ say your plan had merit."

Vlad smiled a smug, satisfied smile as he took off.

* * *

Glorfindel led his army along the foothills, heading Northeast as quickly as they could. The halflings' ponies had to be accommodated, being unable to keep up with horses at full gallop. They were nearly at the end of the North Downs when the elves saw a flash of pink light to the left, over the hills. Glorfindel heard the elves closest to him asking each other, "What was that?" The blond elf thought he had a guess, but there was no way to be certain right now.

They passed the last foothills and turned more Northerly to see Gondorian knights engaging the last remnants of the orcs and Men of Angmar. A flash of pink light shot out of the sky, leaving nearly a hundred orcs dead on the field. Glorfindel was awed at the amount of power used. He rode into battle, swinging his sword at the first orc he met.

When he'd cleared a space around him and had a brief reprieve, Glorfindel glanced to the edge of the battle to see the halflings helping to thin enemy numbers a bit. They were truly the best archers the Shire could send. Looking up, he was nearly blinded when a lightning bolt shot down out of a clear sky to hit an orc chieftain. From there, it spread to about twenty more, shooting between them like a chain. When the bolt had completed the chain, all twenty orcs were dead. Glorfindel was shocked. The source of the lightning bolt was Vlad.

He rode back into battle, occasional flashes of pink light and bolts of lightning cutting through the thick dust as was the glint of sunlight off the swords from the troops around him. By dusk, the forces of Angmar were entirely destroyed. It was then that an unexpected turn occurred. Men and elves fled the field, only Eärnur standing his ground. The Crown Prince of Gondor had fought valiantly, and held his position as the Witch-king rode onto the battlefield.

The Men of Gondor could be heard to cry out in fear as the Witch-king charged down the field, as though to ride Eärnur down. Eärnur's determination was visible in how he held himself, but the prince's horse panicked as the Witch-king neared, and fled, with Eärnur vainly trying to bring the horse under control.

The Witch-king laughed as Eärnur's horse carried him off, the horror of his cry striking to Glorfindel's very being. Nevertheless, the elf rode up on his white horse, gleaming in the gathering dark. The Witch-king fled at his approach, disappearing in the shadows of coming night.

Eärnur, having finally gotten his horse under control, returned to see the Witch-king had left. Anger on his face, he made to ride after the Witch-king. Glorfindel immediately blocked him, placing a hand on the reins. "Do not pursue him! He will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall."

Eärnur scowled. "He may have gotten away, but he has not seen the last of me."

Glorfindel shook his head. "My friend, that may prove to be _your_ undoing."

* * *

Between all the allied troops, his own ectoblasts, and his electric attacks, Vlad saw that they had not merely _routed_ the enemy, but they had _annihilated_ the enemy! Not one orc, or man wearing the same livery as the orcs, was left alive. Before he finished his observations, his ghost sense went off.

"Caramel Twists, what now?!" Vlad exclaimed, looking at the battlefield. A familiar rider on a familiar horse cleared the battlefield of living Men and Elves and their assorted horses.

He saw a richly dressed, yet heavily armored man from the Western troops attempt to confront the Witch-king. As even _Vlad_ could have predicted, the horse spooked. He heard the derisive laughter of that infernal wraith. His own anger grew. As the man struggled to regain control of his horse, Vlad saw another sight that sparked feelings of dread within him: Glorfindel glowed with a light that cut through the coming darkness. He remembered that light when it was directed at him, and it was twice as bright now that it was directed at the Witch-king. As Vlad also predicted, the Witch-king and his mount turned tail and fled. Vlad flew after him. He had a score to settle.

Still heady from battle, Vlad quickly caught up with the Witch-king, albeit not before they were out of sight of the gleaming Glorfindel.

The Witch-king sniffed the air. Turning towards Vlad, he said, "Interesting. I had no idea you would survive."

All the anger that had been building since Vlad's ghost sense went off helped to produce a massive ectoblast that hit with deadly aim, knocking the Witch-king off his horse. The horse needed no second invitation and fled into the darkness, whinnying in terror.

The Witch-king stood up, dusted himself off, and looked at Vlad in surprise and then with disdain. "You petty, insignificant half-mortal! How dare you!"

Vlad said in a quiet tone of menace heretofore unheard by this half-ghost in Middle-earth, "And THIS is for Daniel!" With a double-fisted blast that could have decimated an army of mortal beings, Vlad let loose for a full two minutes.

The black cloak of the Witch-king caught fire, not even leaving ash. Vlad would have continued his blast, but the high-pitched shriek of an unearthly wail grew too much for him after the initial two minutes. Vlad stopped his blast and the Witch-king, unclothed by anything physical, sped to safety in a Southeasterly direction.

With satisfaction, Vlad returned to Glorfindel's camp.

A/N: The general battle description can be found in the Appendices to_ The Lord of the Rings_. It includes Glorfindel's initial comment to the Crown Prince Eärnur to stop him from pursuing the Witch-king. The specific details are our own invention, because Tolkien went into very little detail when describing this battle. We did find enough to make educated guesses as to events of the battle and what happened when.


	18. The Aftermath

A/N: I am grateful to all the readers and reviewers of this fic. So many questions and comments. Cyber cookies to all of you.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Rohan did not exist yet. Rohan was created in 2510 TA after a Northern tribe called the Éothéod helped Gondor, then under the rule of the Stewards, defeat an invasion of Easterlings on the plains of Calenardhon. See Appendix A Section II to _The Lord of the Rings_ for full details.

**Amazing Bluie**: Glad you enjoyed the battle. Vlad does have an electric power. He uses it to shock Danny on multiple occasions. It wasn't too much of a stretch to think of him using it like a lightning bolt. My general thoughts on it was the idea of the chain lightning spell from the Dungeons and Dragons RPG. It's very impressive and it is intensely effective. He was never mentioned as having a ghost sense in the show, but there is nothing that says he _doesn't_ have one, either. We decided he has one, but it works differently from Danny's because Vlad doesn't have cryokinesis.

**Inukagome15**: Glad you like Vlad's exclamation. He didn't use it in the show, but we wanted to use something that hadn't been used yet.

They took Vlad to the battle because his presence would be useful and would not put himself or others at risk. In a raging battle, the slightest distraction can get you killed. Trying to protect a child in that sort of situation can be deadly for the warriors doing it, especially if the child in question is trying to join the fighting. Not only that, but a child normally doesn't have the experience to focus on multiple opponents at once, so he can be easily flanked by an enemy. Even though Danny is more experienced at fighting than most teens, this is what the Elves are considering.

Also, there is the fact that Danny was shaken by the deaths of thirty orcs. He watched thirty _living beings_ get slaughtered. Even though Danny has fought many battles, he has never had to kill and doesn't _want_ to kill anyone. Vlad, on the other hand, has proven to the Elves that he has no problem with killing if it is necessary, as demonstrated by what they considered to be his ruthless battle plan. Danny's innocence is what Elrond was focused on, not his conscience. A person still has a conscience if he kills and regrets the necessity of doing so. Danny had trouble with the deaths of thirty people; he would not have been able to handle watching and participating in the deaths of thousands. Vlad has no problem with doing what is necessary. So his presence in a huge battle is less problematic.

Yes, Vlad is very smug about the Elves using his plan. It was his plan, and they used it. They were forced into the situation, but they still used his plan. Vlad is pleased with himself right now.

Glorfindel was awed by the sight of that much power. Vlad is a very powerful ghost. Even so, just because Danny doesn't use that kind of power doesn't mean he can't. That is a very important distinction.

Yes, this is the infamous prophecy mentioned when Éowyn defeated the Witch-king. I suggest you look at the Appendices. It is in Appendix A, Section I, Subsection iv. It also states that all who heard Glorfindel remembered his words.

Yes, that is why Vlad said it. He's furious that the Witch-king was able to hurt him. Being the most powerful ghost around has made him rather arrogant, so being humiliated like that has seriously damaged his pride. He decided it was time for a little revenge. Danny would be very surprised to learn that Vlad did it in his name. Of course, he'll never know, but it's fun to think how he would react if he did find out.

The battle is over. And now...

Chapter 18: The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

After attempting to soothe his friend Prince Eärnur, Glorfindel continued to stare after the Witch-king. He had lost track of Vlad in the darkness. However, some forty miles off across the plain, Southeast of the battlefield, a pink blast made Glorfindel's eyes widen. 'So that is where Vlad got off to,' he thought. But not even his experience in battle with the intrepid half-ghost prepared him for what he was about to see.

A blinding pink light that rivaled the brightness of his own _fëa_ when facing down the Witch-king lit up the Southeast for a full two minutes. Even _he_ trembled as he heard the cry of the Witch-king, and he knew those around him did the same.

Thinking of the force of the ectoblasts he saw used in battle and the brightness of this prolonged blast, Glorfindel trembled to think what Vlad had been capable of.

After about fifteen minutes, Vlad came back to camp. Wordlessly, Glorfindel directed Vlad to a seat by the fire, offering him a plate of whatever was being served for their evening meal. Vlad turned human, to the surprise of the Men and Elves who were unused to seeing this transformation. For the first time since Glorfindel led the troops out to battle, the Elves sang, albeit a mournful elegy for those lost in battle.

Taking in the scene of victory, Vlad relaxed. The vengeance he had sought was his. The strategy they ended up using, however unwittingly, was his. With satisfaction, he turned to look to where the halflings should have been.

Glorfindel, who sat in silence, waited for Vlad to speak first. "What happened to our friends, the charming Halflings?"

Glorfindel shook his head sadly. "They fought bravely and valiantly, and their arrows shot true, but not one of them survived," Glorfindel eulogized.

Vlad frowned. "I'm truly sorry to hear it." The elves' singing caught his attention and he got lost in the mournful sound. He didn't know the language, but he somehow felt that he understood the import. It was a tale of strength, of bravery, of valiance, of courage, and of the irreplaceable souls lost in battle, perhaps celebrated in other spheres.

He listened, drawn in. He mourned with them. He mourned _for_ them. And then he brought his attention back to his silent companion, who seemed to be having none of it. Vlad waited a few minutes, but the elven general sat in silence.

Vlad observed the silent elf and said, "I understand why you would choose to be celebratory after a decisive victory such as this. I would also understand why you would choose to be mournful after the heavy losses the allies have sustained. You don't seem to be either. Why?"

Glorfindel closed his eyes and nodded. "It was indeed a decisive victory. Many Elves, Men, and Halflings, and you, fought bravely and skillfully. For your part, I am truly grateful. This war was not yours. It was not of your making. It was not of your people. And yet, you fought with the power of any fifty soldiers. For this, I am grateful. And proud. And in awe."

"But that is not all." Vlad said. It was not a question.

"No. It is not. About 4000 years ago, in _our_ time, young Danny and I were surrounded by thirty orcs. The lad fought bravely, disabling almost twice as many as I had reached personally before I took out those he felled. If _he_ has half the power that you do, he could have _singlehandedly_ destroyed the entire force of orcs.

"Is he capable? Could he, in theory, have done what you did?"

Vlad scowled and crossed his arms. "OF COURSE Daniel is capable of doing this! He just never would." He rolled his eyes. Glorfindel's eyes widened and he shook his head, almost in disbelief, but not quite. Vlad, no longer looking at the elf, was lost in his own thoughts as he continued. "Further, Daniel used a sonic attack against me that _completely_ destroyed my ghost-proof lab. If he worked to develop this power, and allowed it to mature, it would be possible for him to singlehandedly decimate and destroy an entire city.

"One day, he _will_ be more powerful than I am. When that day arrives, he _will_ be capable of taking on the entire enemy force that we and our allies battled this day all by himself."

Glorfindel sat speechless, his eyes wide as dinner plates as Vlad stared off unseeing, thinking about the teenaged boy who would not join him. The half-ghost sighed. "So much potential. But of course, he never would."

This was not the type of thing that a man like Vlad would lie about. The sheer power described by Vlad and the sweet teenaged boy he met so many years ago, who feared to explain his powers lest he frighten the people he was with, left him in awe. The self-control and determination of will held by Danny left Glorfindel flabbergasted. He was sure it would take him the entire rest of the journey home to try to find a way to report this to Elrond.

A sudden commotion in the camp caught both their attention. Turning to see what was going on, they saw a swirling green vortex floating over the camp in the darkness. Vlad's face brightened. "Ah. That's my ride. That is the portal back to the Ghost Zone. I thank you for your generosity, but I must take my leave. Say Good-bye to Elrond and the fair lady Lassiel for me. Farewell." With that, Vlad turned ghost and flew up through the portal, which closed after him.

A/N: Stay tuned for the Epilogue.


	19. Epilogue

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story.

**GhostKing666**: We're glad you think the story's brilliant. But about the idea that the ending is anti-climactic... both here and in _A Ghost in Middle-earth_, the action was finished. The enemy was defeated, and all that was left was for the protagonist to go home. We didn't think Danny, and now Vlad, getting to go home interfered with the story. But that's just us.

**Hordak's Pupil**: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. I've looked forward to your reviews with every chapter we posted for this fic. You always have interesting insights into the story.

**Soului**: I'm glad you liked it. I wasn't sure how to get him back once it was all over, but Miriam helped me figure it out.

We've reached the end. Here is the final installment. Once again, thank you to all of our loyal readers for sticking with us.

Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Danny Phantom_ or _The Lord of the Rings_.

Back in Rivendell, Glorfindel reported back to Elrond. Elrond asked, "So, how did the battle go?"

Glorfindel gave the answer that he worked so hard to prepare. "First thing of note: the battle was a complete and decisive victory. Not one orc or Man of the black forces was left alive. Second thing: the halfling troops did not survive. They fought valiantly, but they were overcome. Third of all: the Elves and Men took heavy losses towards the start of the battle. But two thirds of the Gondorian forces swept in for a surprise attack. The Rivendell contingent and those who met up with us were the freshest when it came to battle. All three princes of Arthedain lived and made it home safely. Prince Aranarth has decided not to accept the crown, and has established himself as a simple chieftain, until such time as the Northern and Southern Realms are prepared to reunite under a single king. Prince Eärnur of Gondor is physically fine, but he has foolishly planned a vendetta against the Witch-king. I wish him long life, though he chooses a fool's errand. And then, there was Vlad..."

Elrond raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. "And what of Vlad?"

"Besides being a scout _par excellence_, which he graciously served as, his aerial attacks as a half-ghost were not be believed, but for the fact that I saw them. Danny mourned giving us second-degree burns. Vlad incinerated whole _battalions_ of orcs. He shot lightning from his hands to electrocute hundreds of orcs, twenty at a time. The chief of the Nazgûl still lives, but he will not come this way again for many years. Whatever Vlad did, he made certain of _that_!" He gulped.

"And for all of his extensive displays of power," he stopped to take a breath, and continued, "he said that he expects that when young Danny reaches his full maturity, he will be far more powerful than Vlad." Taking another breath, he said, "And _nothing _but Danny's nobility, force of will, and self-control could hold him back from what he _could _become."

Elrond sat in shocked silence. After a good few minutes of absorbing all that his friend, general, and seneschal had told him, Elrond nodded. "And I maintain, as I did when I discussed this with Celebrimbor, it does not matter what power he is capable of. Danny is a hero many times over, and would _never_ knowingly harm anyone."

* * *

Vlad flew through the ghost portal into his mayoral mansion in Amity Park. More than two weeks had gone by, and he wondered what on earth he was going to say to his secretary tomorrow morning! But then again, he thought, 'Portals do weird things with time. Let's see if I can't find out what day it is here.'

"Maddie, darling," Vlad said to his computer program.

"Yes, Cupcake." A holographic representation of Maddie Fenton appeared, complete with haz-mat suit and goggles.

"What is today's date?"

"Sunday, February 19, 2006. And it's nice to have you back. I haven't seen you since Friday." The hologram pouted a little.

Vlad spluttered. "Do you mean to say that I've only been gone, according to the time in Amity Park, for _two days_?"

"Yes, Sweetums," the Maddie program answered. "And I love what you've done with your hair!"

Vlad sighed. "Thanks, love." He'd had two and a half weeks of insanity in Middle-earth, yet here in Amity Park, only two days went by. "God, I hate natural portals."

He thought, 'Those elves, Elrond and Glorfindel, really cared for Daniel. But apparently, in this time, he hasn't met them yet. Heck of a thing, trying to send regards from someone from 4000 years ago, when the recipient of said regards has yet to meet them for another six months!'

Now that he was safe and at home, one thought kept filling his head: Daniel. The Witch-king made him think of every (thankfully) unsuccessful scheme he ever had for the boy. Except for that cloning thing, and _that_ didn't turn out well at all.

Glorfindel's words came back to him. "Danny is a very special young boy. I hope you can fully appreciate what a treasure your world has for having him." He had to admit: the elf was right. He remembered his vow. He would _never_ actively seek to harm the boy again.

He also remembered his private addendum. Making him emotionally uncomfortable... he could handle that. Random ectoblasts to keep him in line... he had no problem with that. But to actively hurt him as he had with the Blood Blossoms, or any of those other schemes the Witch-king made him remember... never again. Daniel was far too valuable for that.

* * *

Clockwork sat in his tower, viewing Glorfindel's report to Elrond on the battle with Angmar and Vlad's return to Amity Park. "The evil kingdom of Angmar has fallen, the evil troops routed, with the Witch-king on the run. A chieftainship has been established to set the wheels turning to set up the eventual return of the King of the Reunited Kingdoms. Elrond and Glorfindel, the Elves of Middle-earth who met Danny, now fully appreciate precisely who and what Danny is. Plasmius, or Vlad Masters, has vowed to never attempt permanent harm on Danny Phantom again. Mission accomplished. _Everything_ is as it should be."

* * *

Glossary

Celebrimbor (S. Silver hand)- the Elven-smith who forged the Elven Rings of Power. Only son of Curufin, fifth son of Fëanor. Sole ruler of Eregion and head of the _Gwaith-i-Mirdain_, or Guild of Jewel Smiths. Danny met him in _A Ghost in Middle-earth_.


End file.
